The International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF), track and field's governing body, reportedly considered helping Russia cover up part of its widespread doping scandal by stealthily punishing lesser known athletes and handling other matters in private.
The news comes via a series of emails obtained by John Leicester of the Associated Press, which date back to 2009. Correspondence shows IAAF officials knew a high number of Russian athletes were doping as early as 2009 due questionable blood levels in new tests.
"This matter of the Russian athletes' blood levels is now so serious and is not getting any better (in fact possibly getting worse) that immediate and drastic action is needed," Pierre Weiss, who served as the IAAF general secretary, wrote in a letter to former Russian athletics president Valentin Balakhnichev in October 2009.