By Daily Sports on June 29, 2017

The controversial decision to award the 2021 World Athletics Championships to Eugene, Oregon, is being investigated by the FBI and the Criminal Division of America's Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to the BBC.

The US city was awarded the event in 2015 with athletics' governing body the IAAF bypassing the usual formal bidding process.

French prosecutors investigating corruption within the IAAF launched their own inquiry into the awarding of the event in 2015.

Former IAAF president Lamine Diack, who is now effectively under house arrest in France over corruption allegations, was at the centre of the decision.

Eugene was handed the event despite strong interest from the Swedish city of Gothenburg.

The Oregon city is closely associated with Nike, whose birthplace is only a few miles away.

Nike funds much of the University of Oregon's sports facilities, where many of Eugene 2021 events will be held.

A BBC story in November 2015 suggested the IAAF president Lord Coe may have lobbied his predecessor over the bid, and revealed he had discussed it with a senior Nike executive.

At that time Lord Coe was paid £100,000 a year as an ambassador for Nike. Lord Coe denied he had lobbied anyone on behalf of Eugene's bid.

A spokeswoman for the IAAF and Lord Coe said she was unaware of any FBI and IRS probes.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 29, 2017

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