PARIS: The boss of Qatari television channel BeIn, Yousef Al-Obaidly, and ex-athletics chief Lamine Diack, have been under investigation since March over alleged corruption in the bidding process for this year’s World Athletics Championships in Doha, sources told AFP on Tuesday.
Investigating magistrates are considering charging Al-Obaidly with active corruption, while Diack will act as a key witness in the matter and will be charged with passive corruption.
The championships take place at the Khalifa International Stadium between September 27 and October 6.
Earlier this week AFP learned that Diack and his son Papa Massata Diack may go on trial in a separate matter, for allegedly obstructing sanctions against Russia for doping in return for payments.
Prosecutors have recommended Diack, who was president of the International Association of Athletics Federations from 1999 to 2015, be tried for corruption and money laundering.
CEO of Qatar’s BeIn TV channel, former Athletics chief under probe for alleged corruption
CEO of Qatar’s BeIn TV channel, former Athletics chief under probe for alleged corruption
- Investigating magistrates are considering charging Yousef Al-Obaidly with active corruption
- There were allegation of corruption in the bidding process for this year’s World Athletics Championships in Doha
Alonso fears more pain in China with struggling Aston Martin
- Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia
SHANGHAI: Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia.
Silverstone-based Aston Martin endured a horror start after serious issues with their Honda power unit and a lack of spare parts.
Two-time world champion Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll had to endure extreme vibration in the chassis caused by the power unit, which was feared could cause the drivers permanent nerve damage.
“The situation unfortunately didn’t change within four or five days since Melbourne, so it will be a difficult weekend,” Alonso told reporters at the Shanghai International Circuit.
“We’ll limit the laps in one or two sessions as we are short on parts. We need laps, to find the window on the chassis side.
“I’ll be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal practice, more or less normal qualifying.”
The Spaniard could not put a timeframe on when improvements might come.
“What can I do within the team? Work harder, help Honda as much as I can,” said Alonso.
“We can allocate resources to help Honda with the power unit. We are one team, it is a bumpy start that I hope won’t last too long.
“We are pushing, we have very talented people in the team, so I hope within a couple of grands prix, we can have a normal weekend.
“To be competitive will take more time. Once we fix the reliability, we will be behind on power and things.”
The 44-year-old veteran has been in Formula One for more than two decades and has driven vastly different iterations of cars from the old V10 petrol engines through to the current complex hybrid configuration.
Despite the issues he said was embracing the challenge of the new cars enthusiastically in what could be his final season on the grid.
His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026.
“Do we enjoy driving these cars? Yes, because we love racing,” Alonso said.
“I do four or five 24-hour races because I love racing and I love driving. So if you jump into an F1 car, you enjoy going fast.
“But it is a challenge, a different challenge.
“I was super lucky to race in (the last) era and I feel lucky to race in both.”
