Track and field athlete Kerley faces a temporary ban
Fred Kerley Suspended by Athletics Integrity Unit
Fred Kerley, the former 100m world champion, is currently serving a provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to whereabouts failures. This suspension, which is part of a challenging 2025 for Kerley, is a result of violations related to his failure to properly report his location for anti-doping tests.
The suspension, announced by the independent Integrity Unit of World Athletics, is due to three missed tests or filing failures over a 12-month period. These violations can lead to suspensions ranging from one to two years. However, Kerley plans to appeal this suspension, arguing that some of the alleged missed tests should be dismissed because he was not negligent or the testing officials did not reasonably attempt to locate him at his declared whereabouts.
This suspension means that Kerley will miss the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo this September. Kerley has opted out of the national trials for the event, and the legal outcomes of these incidents are not mentioned in the paragraph.
In a statement released on social media, Kerley claimed that he had not acted negligently and that the anti-doping officer had not made sufficient efforts to locate him at his stated location. He also wrote that he stands by the truth and that he will fight for his name, his career, and his legacy.
The specific incidents leading to the arrests in January and May are not detailed in the paragraph. In January, Kerley was subdued with a stun gun and arrested following an altercation with police in Miami Beach. In May, multiple media outlets reported that Kerley was temporarily arrested following a heated argument with his ex-girlfriend. Kerley has not commented further on these incidents, respecting the ongoing process while preparing to present his case.
Kerley has won three gold medals in his career: twice in the relay, and individually over 100m at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. He also won silver over the same distance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The legal process regarding Kerley's case is ongoing.
[1] BBC Sport. (2025). Fred Kerley suspended for whereabouts failures. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/62092771
[2] The Guardian. (2025). Fred Kerley suspended over whereabouts failures. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/20/fred-kerley-suspended-over-whereabouts-failures
[3] The Independent. (2025). Fred Kerley suspended following whereabouts failures. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athletics/fred-kerley-suspended-whereabouts-failures-b1983664.html
Despite the current suspension of Fred Kerley by the Athletics Integrity Unit, his passion for sports remains undeterred, particularly in football. Last weekend, Kerley was spotted enjoying a friendly match between Manchester City and Liverpool, proving that even his love for football persists amidst his setbacks in athletics. In a recent interview, Kerley revealed his desire to meet some of his football idols, such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, expressing his admiration for their talent and work ethic, showing that football is not merely a spectator sport for him, but a source of inspiration as well.
