The President and the Secretary General of the Albanian Athletics Federation, sanctioned by the AIU
MADRID, 26 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Albanian Athletics Federation (AAF), Gjergj Ruli, and its Secretary General, Nikolin Dionisi, have been suspended from their duties respectively for five and four years, according to the ruling of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), after falsifying a jumper’s result to get him to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The long jumper in question, Izmir Smajlaj, who then finished 17th at the Olympics, has not been penalized and his provisional suspension has been lifted because the AIU has claimed it did not have sufficient evidence that he was part of the conspiracy.
The AIU has pointed out that falsified wind measurement readings on May 8, 2021 during a competition in Tirana, Albania, where the national record jump of 8.17 meters earned Smajlaj an Olympic ticket, were sent to the International Federation (World Athletics).
They then submitted a falsified photo of the wind measuring equipment when asked for proof, before finally admitting to the AIU that the photo had been taken on a different day and that there was no measuring equipment during said competition.
The measurement is mandatory because a tailwind of more than 2 meters per second does not allow jumps to qualify as records or qualification criteria. Dionisi has received a minor penalty because he admitted to the charges, while Ruli questioned knowingly being involved in the scheme.
“These sanctions are very important for the future of the sport, athletics, and are a warning to those who govern athletics globally,” said AIU President David Howman.
“Federation officials are supposed to uphold fair play and fair sport, and we will hold them accountable for their actions if evidence shows they are doing otherwise,” Howman concluded.