IOC Statement on IOC Member Mr Frank Fredericks

The IOC Executive Board (EB) met today to discuss the allegations in the ongoing procedure initiated by the French Judicial Authorities against former IAAF President Mr Lamine Diack and his son Papa Massata Diack, the then marketing consultant of the IAAF. The IOC EB reiterated its full commitment to cooperate with the French Judicial Authorities as the IOC has the status of “Partie Civile” in this ongoing procedure.

As far as the allegations against the IOC Member in Namibia, Mr Frank Fredericks, are concerned, the IOC EB emphasises the presumption of innocence and takes note of his decision to step down as Chair of the Evaluation Commission for the Olympic Games 2024. He has also announced his intention not to participate in the Candidate City Briefing 2024 for IOC Members and Summer Olympic International Federations in July in Lausanne and in the IOC Session in September in Lima, Peru, which will decide on the host city for 2024. Additionally, he has decided to provisionally suspend himself from the IOC Coordination Commission for the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

The IOC EB also takes note of the recommendation of the IOC Ethics Commission for Mr Fredericks. The full recommendation of the IOC Ethics Commission can be found here.

After careful deliberation, the IOC EB took the following decision:

• In line with the recommendation of the IOC Ethics Commission, the IOC EB accepts his resignation from the Evaluation Commission for the Olympic Games 2024.
• In line with the recommendation of the IOC Ethics Commission, the IOC EB accepts his provisional self-suspension from the IOC Coordination Commission for the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.
• The IOC EB accepts Mr Fredericks’ non-participation in the Candidate City Briefing 2024 for IOC Members and Summer Olympic International Federations in July 2017 in Lausanne and the IOC Session in Lima, Peru, in September 2017.
• In line with the IOC Ethics Commission, the IOC EB recalls the importance of respecting the principle of the presumption of innocence. It also notes Mr Fredericks’ categorical rejection of the allegations made against him.
• The IOC President informed the IOC EB that he will appoint IOC Member Mr Patrick Baumann, Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and President of SportAccord, as the new Chair of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the Olympic Games 2024. Ms Lingwei Li, IOC Member in China, will be appointed as the Interim Chair of the Coordination Commission for the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team: 
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our website at www.olympic.org.

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