Africa backs Diack

By Peter Ekarot AFRICA will back Senegalese Lamine Diack for election as president of the International Amateur Athletics Federation during August polls in Edmonton, Canada. The decision was taken at the 17th congress of the African Amateur Athletics Confederation in Dakar last weekend. Diack has been acting IAAF boss since death of Primo Nebiolo in November 1999. Nebiolo led the athletics organisation for 18 years. Diack is highly favoured to continue steering the IAAF. Africa decided to have a united voice behind the AAAC president in the IAAF congress slated at the World Athletics Championships. Speaking at the AAAC congress, Diack said his leadership at the head of both the AAAC and the IAAF had witnessed the triumph of athletics at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the April 2001 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Lisbon, Portugal. "We have been working hard in the past 20 months in order to carry on the legacy of Primo Nebiolo," said Diack. He urged AAAC to continue working hard for the benefit of the world athletics community. Ends