Condemned by the French courts since September 2020, Lamine Diack, former president of the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) and former president of Jaraaf, must pay a deposit estimated at 500,000 euros, or 327 million FCFA. The Senegalese football club, the Jaraaf, intends to take charge of this sum in order to allow Lamine Diack to return to his country in Senegal. In a general meeting held on Saturday, April 17, 2021, the Club de la Médina decided to sell part of its SIS heritage to the residential area of Point E to pay this fine.
Releasing Lamine Diack as soon as possible is now the main objective of the Jaraaf de Dakar. The club, of which Lamine Diack himself was the president, undertakes to pay the bail demanded by the French justice and estimated at 327 million FCFA, a decision taken unanimously after an extraordinary General Assembly convened for this purpose on Saturday, April 17, 2021. “We decided during this extraordinary AGM that we should not wait for a collection to be made in the name of President Diack, a worthy son of this country, a remarkable citizen from all points of view“, explained the current president of the Dakar club Cheikh Seck.
This act of solidarity is a requirement for an association that thinks of its members and that makes solidarity one of the pillars of its raison d’être. This is the conviction of Professor Abdoulaye Sakho, Vice-President in charge of the modernization of the texts and legal affairs of the club. The latter is convinced that the Jaraaf of Dakar has only done its duty. Lamine Diack has served the interests of this club, it is now up to the leaders to sacrifice themselves for him. “The decision to pay the bail of President Lamine Diack is in line with what is expected of a sports and cultural association like the Jaraaf […] Mutual aid and solidarity are part of the actions that arise daily in all the associations of the world”, said the law professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar.
The Jaraaf will deposit this sum in two weeks and ensure the release of Lamine Diack, detained in France since 2015 following his accusation of active and passive corruption and breach of trust. The aim of the club is to allow the former president of IAAF to spend the feast of Koretia (end of Ramadan) with his family. “We have decided, in the next 15 days, to pay this fine so that the president can come and celebrate Koretia with his family in Dakar”, said Sheikh Seck, the current president of the club.
