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| Sebastian Coe is set to make his toughest decision as IAAF president at a meeting in Monaco |
IN THE six days between not winning gold in the 800 metres at the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and then storming to victory in the 1500m, Seb Coe went through a sea of soul-searching before putting right what he had got so wrong.
If he thought that was a hard week to deal with, he is now faced with the culmination of one of the toughest the sport has ever known, which this evening in Monaco will see him head a council meeting of the IAAF to decide whether Russia will be suspended from track and field.
Coe became a sporting icon that day in Moscow. Now he has the opportunity to show that he is ready to do what no one else has ever achieved in track and field: rid it of the cheats.
No fudging, no uncertainty, no deals, no messing around. Now is the time for the start of the action that in a year, maybe two, possibly even five, will be seen as the moment when athletics truly declared war on the scourge of doping.
Remember the date: Friday, November 13. Unlucky for those who think they can keep dodging the bullet. And with it, Coe has the chance to stamp his authority on his position as the new president of the IAAF, because however long he holds the post, there will never be a day like this, a story such as this.
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| Daley Thompson says Coe must show the way in light of the Russian doping revelations |
As he prepares to gauge the opinions of the members of the council – the meeting will be via teleconference, starting at 6pm UK time–one of his great contemporaries has called on Lord Coe to stand firm.
Daley Thompson, who won the first of his two Olympic decathlon gold medals in Moscow, yesterday said Coe must show the way in the wake of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) commission that alleged state-backed doping of Russian athletes.
“What the whole situation needs is for its leader – and Seb Coe is the custodian of what I think is the greatest
sport in the world – to stand up and show some leadership,” said Thompson, speaking on talkSPORT. “He needs to let the people know, he needs to let the cheats know, and he needs to make sure all the other federations understand there are serious consequences to this. He needs to make some examples (of the cheats).
“He has the best interests of the sport in his heart. He cares about it passionately and he wants to see it thrive. I don’t think he will allow this situation to continue.
“He has to stand up and make some proper decisions, but not in a back-door diplomacy way. He needs to be up front and let the public see what he’s doing.
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| Russian president Vladimir Putin insists they have to do everything to get rid of this problem |
“If that means more and more bad things come out, then so be it. Let’s clear the decks and start again.
“This is going to be the defining moment of his presidency.”
The WADA findings have rocked Russia.
President Vladimir Putin yesterday spoke for the first time about it and said: “It is necessary to conduct our own internal investigation and to provide the open – I stress – the most open and professional co-operation with the international anti-doping agencies. In Russia, we have to do everything to get rid of this problem.”
And to add to the intrigue, Russian bank VTB will end their sponsorship of international athletics – their deal runs out at the end of the year – but have denied the decision is connected with the scandal.
Lord Coe, over to you. As in 1980, the world is watching.
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