A payment made by Sergey Bubka, the senior vice-president of athletics’ world governing body, to a now disgraced senior figure is to be investigated by the independent Athletics Integrity Unit, the Guardian can reveal. In a statement Brett Clothier, head of the Athletics Integrity Unit, said that it would be looking into the payment. “The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is aware of the article published today in Le Monde in which allegations are made concerning International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) senior vice-president, Sergey Bubka,” he said. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Valentin Balakhnichev dismissed the claims about his payment as ‘fake news … your western system bring to you this problem’. Bubka and Balakhnichev were close colleagues at the IAAF having developed a long-standing friendship when the Ukrainian was a star pole-vaulter.

Source: The Guardian September 20, 2017 18:56 UTC