Athletic racer Fred Kerley, an Olympic medalist from the United States, temporarily halted due to missed drug screenings, potentially subject to a two-year restriction
US Sprinter Fred Kerley Faces Provisional Suspension
US track star Fred Kerley is facing a provisional suspension from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to violations under the "whereabouts failures" rule. This rule, a serious offense under anti-doping regulations, occurs when an athlete fails to provide accurate location information or misses doping tests within a designated timeframe.
Kerley, aged 30, has had a successful career, winning gold in the 4x100 relay in 2023 and the 4x400-meter relay at the 2019 world championships. He also won silver in the 100 meters at the Tokyo Olympics and captured the 100-meter world title in 2022. Despite these achievements, the suspension is a significant setback in a turbulent year for the athlete.
Under anti-doping rules, athletes must submit detailed whereabouts information—specific locations and times—so doping control officers can conduct unannounced testing. Three missed tests or filing failures within a 12-month period constitute an anti-doping rule violation. In Kerley's case, he has missed three out-of-competition drug tests within a 12-month period, leading to the provisional suspension.
High-profile athletes, such as Kerley, have faced provisional suspensions due to whereabouts failures, highlighting the strict enforcement by anti-doping agencies like the AIU. Athletes may contest the failures if they believe they were not negligent or if the doping control officers failed to act reasonably to locate them, but the burden of proof is high.
Kerley's attorney, Howard Jacobs, has vowed to contest the charge against him. In a statement posted to his social media account, Jacobs stated that Kerley "strongly believes that one or more of his alleged missed tests should be set aside." Kerley himself posted a message on social media after the AIU announcement, saying "You can try to break me in the storm, but all you're doing is giving me a better story at the finish line."
The suspension is not the only challenge Kerley is currently facing. In Florida, he was charged with punching a woman, a fellow Olympian hurdler, in May. Police in Miami Beach accused Kerley of striking an officer during an altercation. Kerley's lawyers have maintained he is innocent in both the Florida charge and the Miami Beach arrest.
Despite these challenges, Kerley has shown resilience throughout his career. With six world championship medals to his name, he is undoubtedly one of the top sprinters in the world. As he faces this latest setback, it remains to be seen how he will navigate this difficult period and what the future holds for him in the world of athletics.
[1] Athletics Integrity Unit. (n.d.). Whereabouts failures. Retrieved from https://theaiu.org/resources/anti-doping-rules/whereabouts-failures
[2] World Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Whereabouts obligations. Retrieved from https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/resources/whereabouts-information
[3] United States Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). What is whereabouts. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/resources/whereabouts/what-is-whereabouts/
[4] United States Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Whereabouts failures. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/resources/whereabouts/whereabouts-failures/
[5] World Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Vanessa Sarno. Retrieved from https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/list-of-decisions/vanessa-sarno
- The news of Kerley's provisional suspension has caused a stir in the sports community, raising questions about his future bets in upcoming sporting events.
- If Kerley is able to successfully contest the whereabouts failures charge, he may have a chance to reenter the world of sports and potentially win major competitions again.
