France to probe IAAF grant of 2021 athletics world championships hosting rights to US city Eugene
The controversial decision to award the 2021 athletics world championships to the US city of Eugene is being investigated by France’s national financial prosecutors as part of a wide-ranging probe into the sport’s governing body.
A spokesman said on Wednesday prosecutors decided to open the investigation on December 1 following reports in international media that questioned the decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
“At this point, no conclusions can be drawn,” the spokesman said. “We considered that there are elements that merit being checked out.”
In April this year the hosting rights were awarded to Eugene, Oregon, without a bidding process, to the surprise of the Swedish city of Gothenburg, which was in the process of preparing to present its own case.
At this point, no conclusions can be drawn. We considered that there are elements that merit being checked out
IAAF president Sebastian Coe said recently the decision was made after a presentation by his predecessor, Lamine Diack, who said certain financial and commercial opportunities had arisen that he felt meant Eugene should be awarded the rights without contest.
The world championships, which began in 1983, have never been held in the United States, the sport’s most powerful nation.