AIU warns athletes on ‘whereabouts’ submissions

By : Guardian Nigeria

Date: 15 January 2025 4:11am WAT

(FILES) In this file photograph taken on July 30, 2021 (R/L): Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare (C/7 ) Britain's Asha Philip (R/5) and Belarus' Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (L/9), compete in the women's 100m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. - The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on June 28, 2022, that Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare has had her anti-doping suspension raised from 10 to 11 years because of a new element in her case, which also deprives the Nigerian women's 4x100m relay team a chance to compete in the World Championships in Eugene (July 15-24). (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

• Axe falls on Croatian star

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), has warned athletes, especially those on its Registered Testing Pool (RTP), of the need to give accurate and timely information on their Whereabouts to enable sufficient Out-Of-Competition testing.

Many athletes have been banned for not adhering to this warning and the AIU has highlighted common mistakes athletes make in this regard, which may end their career.

It says athletes often give incomplete or inaccurate information, submit their whereabouts information late or make unjustified last-minute updates.

According to the AIU, whereabouts information is used to locate athletes for out-of-competition testing with no advance notice.

The body is responsible for testing athletes that are in its pool. The World Athletics Registered Testing Pool is a select group of elite athletes, who are subject to regular out-of-competition tests and are responsible for providing whereabouts information.

Athletes are required to provide sufficient detail in their Whereabouts to enable a DCO to locate them for unannounced testing, without making a phone call or asking neighbors for direction.

According to SportsNow.com, the AIU insists athletes can be tested at any time, also outside the 60-minute time slot usually allotted for testing and warns that athletes cannot refuse to be tested.

Refusing to be tested means the athletes will be deemed to have tested positive with a likely four-year ban as punishment.

“As soon as you are aware a DCO is there to test you, you must comply,” AIU wrote on its website.

As many as nine Nigerian athletes are on AIU’s RTP with reigning World 100m hurdles record holder, Tobi Amusan, and multiple World championships (indoors and out) medalist, Ese Brume topping the list.

Others are Paris 2024 Olympics finalists Favour Ofili (200m), Samuel Ogazi (400m) and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put).

Also on the list are former World U20 200m champion, Udodi Onwuzurike, Nigeria’s second fastest woman of all-time, Rosemary Chukwuma, 400m barrier runner and Nigeria record holder, Nathaniel Ezekiel as well as long jumper, Ruth Usoro.

Meanwhile, the AIU has provisionally suspended Croatian distance runner, Andrej Hladnik, for the presence or use of a prohibited substance (Ostarine) and a notice of allegation has been issued.