A court in Paris has ruled against delay in the trial of the former head of world athletics Mr Lamine Diack and his son accused of corruption, BBC reports.
According to the report, both Mr Lamine Diack and his son Papa Massata Diack deny taking bribes to cover up doping by Russian athletes.
Lawyers for the son, Papa Massata Diack, says essential defence witnesses have been barred from attending due to coronavirus restrictions.
Prosecutors allege Mr Lamine Diack solicited €3.45million from athletes suspected of doping to cover up the allegations and allow them to continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics.
Mr Lamine Diack, has denied wrongdoing and his lawyers described the accusations are baseless.
Mr Lamine Diack, from Senegal, led the governing IAAF, now renamed World Athletics, from 1999-2015 and was among the most influential men in the sport.
He lives under house arrest in Paris and faces a jail sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.
The trial had been due to start in January but was postponed after new documents containing testimony from his son and co-defendant, Papa Massata Diack, were submitted to the court.
Senegal has refused to extradite Papa Massata, who worked as a marketing consultant for the IAAF.
He also faces charges of money laundering, corruption and breach of trust, according to the indictment, and will be tried in absentia.
Senegal has refused to extradite him to France.
Lamine Diack, 87, led the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for 16 years until 2015.