DOPING IN ATHLETICS: Interpol Probe Into Athletics' Corruption' As Report Emerges London 2012 Olympics "Sabotaged" By Suspicious Athletes — WADA; Diack 'Complicit In Doping Cover-Up' And IOC Ethics Body Proposes Suspension Of Honorary Member Diack

Dick Pound, left, the former head of WADA, delivered a damning report on the IAAF on Monday

The global police body Interpol says it will be coordinating a worldwide investigation into suspected corruption and doping involving athletes and athletics officials, Reuters news agency reports. Interpol announced the news at the same time as a team of investigators for the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended disciplinary action against the Russian athletics federation to clean up the sport.

Press Association reports that the London 2012 Olympics were "sabotaged" by the presence of Russian athletes with suspicious doping profiles, a report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has found. The report blames the "widespread inaction" of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) plus the Russian athletics federation (ARAF) and the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) for allowing these athletes to compete at the Games.

"The IC (independent commission) has noted a cumulative lapse of action from the IAAF, ARAF and RUSADA in conjunction with pursuing suspicious profiles," the report stated.

"As a result of this widespread inaction, the Olympic Games in London were, in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing, and could have been prevented from competing, were it not for the collective and inexplicable laissez-faire policy adopted by the IAAF, ARAF and RUSADA."

The WADA report also called on the IAAF to suspend Russia from competition.

The commission stated in its report that it had turned over "considerable data and information" to Interpol regarding its findings "which tends to demonstrate criminal conduct on the part of certain individuals and organizations".

Former IAAF president Lamine Diack (Image credits: PA)

Former IAAF president Lamine Diack is facing provisional suspension as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee after French police revealed he is under investigation for allegedly receiving more than one million euros to cover up doping.

The IOC ethics commission announced on Monday that it has recommended Diack, who stepped down as IAAF president in August, be provisionally suspended.

The 82-year-old from Senegal is accused of being complicit in a cover-up of doping by Russian athletes.

His son Papa Massata Diack, advisor Habib Cisse and the former IAAF anti-doping chief Gabriel Dolle are also being investigated by French police.

The report found the Russian federation and anti-doping agency to be "non-compliant" with the WADA code and recommended the withdrawal of the Moscow laboratory's accreditation and the removal of the laboratory's director.

The report identified corruption and bribery practices "at the highest levels" of the IAAF which it had presented to Interpol, and said there was a " deep-rooted culture of cheating" in Russian athletics.

"Many of the more egregious offenders appear to be coaches who, themselves, were once athletes and who work in connection with medical personnel," it stated.

"This 'win-at-all- costs' mentality was then passed to current athletes, whether willing to participate or not."

It added that athletes unwilling to enter into cheating were likely to be left without access to top coaches.

The report said that it could confirm allegations made in past media reports that some Russian doctors and laboratory staff "acted as enablers for systematic cheating".

It confirmed the "intentional and malicious" destruction of more than 1,400 samples by Russian laboratory officials.

The report said Russian law enforcement agencies were also involved in the efforts to interfere with the integrity of samples and the commission had "serious doubts" about the Russian anti-doping agency's independence from the Russian government's Ministry of Sport.

Most of the commission's key findings with regard to the IAAF's role in allegedly covering up doping offences were withheld from the report published on Monday because of the ongoing criminal investigation.

BBC/AP report that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have called for former International Association Athletic Federations president Lamine Diack, pictured above, to be provisionally suspended.

The 82-year old from Senegal is accused of being complicit in a cover-up of doping by Russian athletes.

French police confirmed that he is under investigation for allegedly receiving more than 1 million euros to cover up doping.

His son Papa Massata Diack, advisor Habib Cisse and the former IAAF anti-doping chief Gabriel Dolle are also being investigated by French police.

The IOC ethics commission has recommended the provisional suspension of Lamine Diack as an honorary member after he was placed under investigation for corruption.

Diack served as a full International Olympic Committee member from 1999 to 2014, when he became an honorary member.

Diack, the former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, was put under formal investigation in France last week on corruption and money laundering charges.

Diack is suspected of taking more than 1 million euros (US$1.1 million) to cover up positive doping tests in Russia.

The IOC ethics decision came on the same day a World Anti-Doping Agency panel was releasing its findings into allegations of systematic doping in Russia.