AIU announces robust programme for IAAF Worlds meet

Employees work in Russia's national drug-testing laboratory in Moscow [Courtesy]

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), in partnership with the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the Qatar Anti-Doping Commission (QADC), will deliver an unprecedented integrity programme during the 10 days of competition, which starts tomorrow.

One of the key policy decisions taken by the AIU ahead of the championships is to transfer samples collected from the athletes of the host nation to a laboratory abroad in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest and associated risks. The policy will come in force in Doha and will continue at future editions of the World Championships.

“The IAAF World Athletics Championships is one of the greatest sports events in the world and it is the AIU’s responsibility to ensure fair play,” said AIU Chairman David Howman.

“Transferring samples of athletes from the host nation to another World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada)-accredited laboratory is a proactive measure to avoid any perception of conflict.

Public confidence in the integrity of a sporting event is paramount and we do not want to leave any stone unturned to ensure this is achieved for the biggest athletics event. The year 2019 is also the first year of the implementation of the national federations obligations rule (article 15) of the IAAF anti-doping rules, wherein IAAF member federations designated as the highest risk have made sure that athletes selected for the World Championships have gone through the requisite number of out-of-competition tests prior arriving in the Qatari capital.

All member federations have also ensured that their athletes have received adequate education prior to arriving in Doha.

Extensive pre-competition testing is already underway. An estimated 700 blood samples will be collected prior to the championships for the purpose of continuing to build the athlete biological passport (ABP) profiles and to help detect prohibited substances such as steroids, EPO or human growth hormone (hGH). An additional 500 samples, mainly urine, will be collected during the championships.

“The implementation of the national federations obligations rule has made sure that the athletes competing in Doha will have gone through an unprecedented level of testing and education,” added Howman. “I must thank the IAAF member federations for having risen to the occasion, in particular those federations which have been initially identified as high-risk category A countries.” [IAAF]