Former Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks stepped down from a key administrative role in at the International Olympic Committee(IOC), on Tuesday, amid a probe into funds he allegedly accepted from a sports marketing chief accused of corruption.
The four- time Olympic silver medalist is said to have received nearly $300,000 from Papa Massate Diack, the son of disgraced former IAAF president, Lamine Diack, before the 2016 Olympics were awarded to Rio.
The claims were published by French paper, Le Monde, which said the revelation emerged during the course of a criminal investigation into corruption in world athletics, which also uncovered a $1.5 million payment made to Diack junior by a firm linked to a rich Brazilian businessman, three days before the vote.
“I believe in the integrity of the election processes of the IOC and never noticed anything untoward to make me doubt this. I reiterate that I was never involved with any vote manipulation or for that matter any other inappropriate or illegal practice”
Fredericks has denied the accusation by saying, “I believe in the integrity of the election processes of the IOC and never noticed anything untoward to make me doubt this. I reiterate that I was never involved with any vote manipulation or for that matter any other inappropriate or illegal practice.”
He added he would not attend a July briefing for IOC members on the 2024 bids, and would not take part in voting for the host city, due to take place in Peru in September.
The IOC is investigating the claims.
