What Lord Coe said and what he didn't say about Eugene 2021: does this defence add up?

What he said in his Today interview and what’s the reality…

Sebastian Coe still does not seem to think he did anything wrong in terms of his association with Nike (Getty)

When asked about Eugene being awarded the 2021 World Athletics Championships without a bidding process…

Coe: “That’s not without precedent. We’ve selected cities without a bidding cycle. Eugene was not put forward by the IAAF but by US Track and Field… as the best opportunity in the foreseeable future to get athletics into the United States. Every sport is falling over itself to get in the largest sports market in the world.”

What’s the reality?

Currently no one knows. The French financial prosecutors’ office in Paris is currently investigating allegations of bribery, corruption and money-laundering by Lamine Diack and other IAAF officials. A spokesman for the investigation said: “We have suspicions, otherwise we wouldn’t open an investigation. We are within our rights to have a look. But there may be normal reasons that will lift the suspicions.”

When asked if he should have given up his £100,000-a-year Nike ambassadorial role earlier than he did with Eugene 2021 in mind…

Coe: “I made it very clear when I became president of the IAAF that everything I did was under review. I made a judgement to step down from that historic role. The decision I took was simply because there was too much noise and distraction around the challenges that I currently have.”

What’s the reality?

Remarkably and stubbornly, Coe clearly still does not believe he did anything wrong nor that there might have been a conflict of interest between being the head of global athletics and having a paid role with a leading sportswear company.

When asked about the level of alleged corruption within the IAAF…

Coe: “I have a very, very clear road map for what we need to do. If you’re saying to me that too much power sat in the hands of too few people and the walls were too high then yes, you’re right.

What’s the reality?

Coe cannot really talk about the allegations against Diack, Gabriel Dollé and others because of the ongoing criminal investigation in France. But that rather suits his needs as it means he can straight-bat any questions on the subject and keep the former regime at arm’s length while working behind the scenes on restructuring the IAAF.

Asked if the IAAF scandal is as big as Fifa’s…

Coe: “I don’t actually believe that and I’m not remotely walking away from the seriousness of what I’m confronting in the organisation and the international field of play. We’re talking about a criminal investigation that’s looking at a handful of people. That’s of no comfort to me as I still have to do the things I’m doing now on an hourly basis.”

What’s the reality?

In the mind of Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency independent commission report into doping in Russian athletics –which is set to reveal part two of the investigation into IAAF corruption and the leaked blood database – the situation in athletics is infinitely worse as the wrongdoing affected results on the field of play.

On the question of whether Russia will line up at the Olympics in Rio next year…

Coe: “If we don’t get the change we want then I’m afraid the clean athletes will have to sit this out. It’s entirely a matter for the Russian federation to meet that criteria.”

What’s the reality?

Procedures are being fast-tracked to ensure Russia ticks all the required boxes in time to line up in Rio in August. The International Olympic Committee has an appetite for that to happen.