Former 100m and 200m champion Frankie Fredericks has decided to step aside from the five-member IAAF Taskforce coordinating the re-admittance process for suspended Russian athletes.
Fredericks, Namibia’s only Olympic medalist in history, was recently implicated by a Le Monde report, which accused him of bribery to the tune of $245,000.
“I have decided to step aside from the taskforce so that the integrity of its work is not questioned,” he said after the report.
“It is important that the taskforce’s mission is seen as free and fair with no outside influence.”
Fredericks’ decision has forced the IAAF to also replace him with Rozle Prezelji, who will now represent the athletes’ voice on the five-member taskforce.
Prezelj, the Slovenian former high jumper who represented his country at four IAAF World Championships and three Olympic Games, already serves as an ex-officio member of the IAAF Council.
Prezelj joins the Taskforce which is composed of independent chair Rune Andersen (NOR), and three IAAF Council Members Abby Hoffman (CAN), Anna Riccardi (ITA) and Geoff Gardner (NFI) “with immediate effect”.
“The IAAF Taskforce’s work is of utmost importance in rebuilding confidence in Russia whose national system has failed the aspirations of clean athletes and the integrity of competition,” said IAAF President Lord Sebastian Coe.
“Their coordination with RusAF and the monitoring of its acceptance of and adherence to the verification criteria and reinstatement conditions is crucial as we work to return athletes to international competition in a safe environment for all.”
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