Ex-World Athletics boss Lamine Diack jailed

This file photo taken on August 21, 2015, shows outgoing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack speaking during a press conference in Beijing ahead of the 2015 IAAF World Championships. Former IAAF chief Diack was arrested for corruption, a judiciary source said on November 4, 2015. [AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER]

The former head of world athletics' governing body, Lamine Diack, was convicted in France yesterday of corruption in a Russian doping scandal and sentenced to spend at least two years in jail.

Diack, 87, was found guilty of accepting bribes from athletes suspected of doping, to cover up test results and let them continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics.

The court also found Diack guilty of accepting Russian money to help finance Macky Sall's campaign for the 2012 Senegal presidential election, in exchange for slowing anti-doping procedures.

Prosecutors said Diack had solicited bribes totalling 3.45 million euros ($4.10 million) from athletes suspected of drugs cheating. The presiding judge said the former long-jumper's actions had "undermined the values of athletics and the fight against doping."