by Larry Eder
I have been to fifteen World Championships, Seven Olympics (written about 10). Prior to each World Champs, Olympics and Olympic Trials, there seems to be a doping controversy. As much as Athletics Integrity Unity finds cheaters, the cheaters or alleged cheaters find ways around the system.
I applaud Athletics Integrity Unit. For the most part, and there will always be disagreements between adults who use their brains, I concur with much of what AIU does and stands for. It is an imperfect world and imperfect system, as long as athletes and their cultures believe that the chance cheating is not equal to the punishments provided after a positive test, then, there will be cheating. The power of a political system (Soviet Union vs US) in the 19502-1990s provided a big part of the sport drug surge. Then, money came into the sport and the difference in money from sponsors for 8th and first can change lives.
It is just sad, that the day of an athlete’s heats, CAS will make a decision on this case.
Stay tuned.
AIU Appeals Welteji Decision
11 SEPTEMBER, MONACO: The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following the decision of a national hearing panel of the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Authority, dated 27 August 2025, to clear athlete, Diribe Welteji, of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation for a breach of article 2.3 of the Ethiopian National Anti-Doping Office Rules (Refusal or Failure to submit to Sample Collection).
The AIU obtained the case file from the Ethiopian National Anti-Doping Organisation on 1 September 2025 and, following review, filed its appeal with CAS on 8 September 2025.
As part of the appeal, the AIU has requested provisional measures from CAS declaring the athlete ineligible to compete pending the outcome of the appeal. That application will be heard by the CAS Division President who will determine whether Welteji may compete at the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Welteji is entered in the women’s 1500 metres, the heats of which are on Saturday 13 September 2025. A decision is expected from CAS before Saturday.
ABOUT THE ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is the independent body created by the World Athletics that manages all integrity issues – both doping and non-doping – for the sport of athletics. The remit of the AIU includes anti-doping, the pursuit of individuals engaged in age or competition results manipulation, investigating fraudulent behaviour with regards to transfers of allegiance, and detecting other misconduct including bribery and breaches of betting rules. It is the AIU’s role to drive cheats out of our sport, and to do everything within its power to support honest athletes around the world who dedicate their lives to reaching their sporting goals through dedication and hard work.
