Athletics Kenya published a letter to its athletes on April 30 that they have by May 3 to take their first of three pre-Olympic Games tests. The reminder is about the new and more strict Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) protocol.
Julius Yego, the Rio Olympic silver medallist in the javelin throw shared on social media to get tested before the deadline. The new directive by the AIU requires Category ‘A’ athletes to undergo three tests before the Paris Olympic Games.
Yego wrote, “It’s getting tougher and stricter for us athletes! For this #ParisOlympics2024 if you have not had a test until now you ONLY have tomorrow and Wednesday which is the last day allowed for 1st test !Check your whereabouts compliance now and make your you respect the 60 min time slot you indicated in the whereabouts and pray the DCO comes in these last days
I hope and pray for those who haven’t had that they get the test before the days elapse for the olympic hopefuls otherwise if they don’t show up and u don’t have any test as of now forget the Paris Olympics.”
The AIU announced on Wednesday, May 1, greater testing measures that will ensure fair competition while upholding the integrity of the sport leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
#Antidoping vigilance heats up with the competition season. In the lead-up to the Olympic Games, Registered Testing Pool (RTP) athletes will go through a much higher level of testing🧪This friendly reminder is here to support you in maintaining the #IntegrityOfTheSport.💚 pic.twitter.com/ftODVIRZlN
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) May 2, 2024
Kenya, the country with the second most suspensions behind India is a Category A nation. The AIU mandates that all Olympic athletes undergo a minimum of three out-of-competition tests. It was further noted that athletes must complete their first out-of-competition test at least 12 weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympics on July 26.
The AIU explained that failure to adhere to this deadline will result in disqualification from the Games. The athletes must undergo all three out-of-competition tests by July 4, 2024. Each test must be scheduled three weeks apart.
The purpose of the intervals, as well as the start and end dates, is to weed out micro-dosing and whereabouts cheaters. There are two current practices by dopers. One is to load their cell phone with messages so that doping control officers cannot get a hold of an athlete while hiding from their out-of-competition scheduled test. Also, micro-dosing to clear the system — the PEDs flush from the body in time for the scheduled test. Three tests between May 1 and July 26 should ensure that fewer athletes are doping.
