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Report: Former IAAF Official Received $3.5 Million From Qatari Investors Prior to Vote

Qatar didn't win the 2017 Athletics World Championship​s bid, but eventually won for 2019.

Qatar can't seem to put up a bid for athletics events without some—ahem—money changing hands. Le Monde unearthed documents that indicate that an IAAF official received upwards of $3.5 million from investment funds linked to the Qatari government prior to the vote on the 2017 Athletics World Championships host city for track and field.

The records, according to Le Monde, indicate that there were two payments: one for $3 million made in October 2011, and another for $500,000 conveniently made four days before officials would vote on a host country on November 11.

Former IAAF official Papa Massata Diack's sports marketing agency Pamodzi were the recipients of the money, transferred from Oryx Qatar Sports Investments. Diack was not only a marketing consultant for IAAF at the time, but is also the son of former IAAF President Lamine Diack. The younger Diak has been banned for extortion linked to dodging a doping ban before the 2012 Olympics, and has a notice for his arrest, issued by Interpol, for an unrelated incident of corruption and money laundering in France.

Qatar didn't win the 2017 Athletics World Championships bid, but eventually won for 2019.