Scandal's weight falls on courts Controversial weightlifter Daniel Koum. Photo: Quinn Rooney One of Australia's most bizarre sports scandals looks destined to be thrashed out in court as the legal wrangling continues around controversial weightlifter Daniel Koum. Koum, a 27-year-old Victorian formerly of Cameroon, was at the centre of a pre-Olympics storm last year when he was accused of blackmailing team officials into paying him a cash sum of $US4500 before a qualifying event in Samoa. Koum allegedly insisted he be paid the sum of money or he would refuse to compete, which would have voided Australia's only male place at the London Games. That spot eventually went to superheavyweight Damon Kelly after Koum eventually agreed to lift. Koum and his legal team have strenuously denied any wrongdoing, although they concede the money did change hands. The saga resulted in the sacking of Olympic weightlifting coach, Mike Keelan, just a month before London. After months of working out exactly how to tackle the Koum issue, the Victoria Weightlifting Association has now asked that the matter be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the international body that has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to Olympic sports. VWA president Kevin White said a letter had been sent to Koum's lawyer Martin Reid asking for the matter to be heard by the CAS, where Koum could state his case and any potential sanction, or clearance, could be finalised. We have made the offer for the CAS. We are still waiting for a reply from Koum's lawyers," White said. Koum didn't compete in the Australian Club Championships in Melbourne over the weekend and although he is no longer a VWA member he has been involved with coaching at his Geelong club. After competing in the 2006 Commonwealth Games for Cameroon, Koum sought asylum in Australia and went on to compete for his new nation in Delhi 2010. The allegation, which made international headlines before London, is believed to be without precedent in Australian sport, hence the difficulties in trying to decide on a course of action.