World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, has sacked staff and called in law enforcement after uncovering financial fraud worth over 1.5 million euros (£1.3 million).
The theft, carried out by two employees and a contracted consultant over several years, was discovered during a recent annual audit.
Following an internal investigation, the organisation terminated the contracts and handed detailed cases over to judicial authorities for a criminal investigation.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe vowed to “recover whatever monies we are able using the full force of the law.”
He stressed the organisation’s commitment to transparency, stating they would not “brush incidents like this under the carpet.”
The governing body will also introduce “enhanced internal financial controls” to prevent future fraud.
