AIU: AIU ‘Active and Visible’ at World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

18 SEPTEMBER 2025, MONACO: The Athletics Integrity Unit’s (AIU) has brought its expertise to
the fore to protect the integrity of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
Whether it’s a robust testing programme encompassing 2,000 athletes – both before (AIU and
National Anti-Doping Organisations combined) and during the competition – or the
prosecution of cases or its education outreach to the athletics community, the AIU is tangibly
involved in the global event taking place 13-21 September.
AIU Chair David Howman disclosed at least 650 tests were conducted pre-competition at the
team hotel and another 550 tests are being conducted at the Japan National Stadium during
the nine-day competition which started last Saturday. Wide-ranging analyses will be performed
at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Tokyo including, for the first time, testing for all three
blood modules of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) – endocrine, haematological and
steroidal. Samples collected at this World Championships will be available for analysis for 10
years, pursuant to the AIU’s retention and reanalysis policy.
It was also revealed that athletes from World
Athletics’ National Federations with the highest
doping risk (Category A of World Athletics Rule
15) have had an average of more than eight
tests per athlete ahead of the World
Championships. Citing testing data from the
official ten-month lead-up to Tokyo, Howman
said 1,209 tests were conducted on the 145
athletes from Category A countries entered for
Tokyo.
“It’s been a significant effort by the Category A
National Federations and their respective
NADOs (National Anti-Doping Organisations)
which treated athletics like a priority sport in
this World Championships year. That has
ensured their athletes have met the minimum testing requirements for the World
Championships. The AIU is very pleased to see this level of commitment to protecting the
integrity of our sport.”
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Bahrain, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine are currently the National Federations in Category
A while Trinidad & Tobago – though not in Category A – was subject to specific requirements as
it had failed to meet the minimum testing standards last year. The key requirement for athletes
from Category A countries is that they must undergo at least three no-notice, out-of
competition tests (urine and blood), conducted no less than three weeks apart in the 10 months
leading up to a major event. Only then do such athletes become eligible to represent their
national team at the World Athletics Championships or the Olympic Games.
Additionally, the AIU has had the
opportunity to engage with important
stakeholders amid a packed agenda in
the Japanese capital. Last Friday, AIU
Chair David Howman reported to the
World Athletics Congress (Pictured
above left) on the AIU’s work for 2024,
highlighting a record-breaking year in
testing and the innovative AIU Call Room – a concierge hotline for elite athletes to
discuss integrity issues in their native
languages with trained experts. This
morning Howman and AIU Head Brett
Clothier updated Member Federations on
the WADA Code Review at the Member
Federations Info Sessions and this
evening the AIU leadership will meet with accredited media at the Japan National Stadium,
having concluded the two-day AIU Board meeting yesterday.
Meanwhile, AIU Head of Education Aditya Kumar and his team are engaging with athletes,
coaches, team managers, athlete representatives, sportswear brands and other support
personnel with a lively outreach programme at the athletes’ hotel (Above, right: Athletes’
Commission Chair Dame Valerie Adams visited the outreach booth). Activities are designed
to raise awareness of the AIU’s mission and message while community-building, fostering trust
and strengthening cooperation with athletes and entourage.
“We have interactive games, the signing wall, peer-to-peer conversations and a photo corner,”
outlined Kumar, sporting an AIU wristband with the ‘Respect for Others’ slogan.
“Everything we’re doing centres around our core theme ‘Power of Respect’ which we launched
in 2023 and have evolved for these Championships with the theme ‘Respect for Others in Every
Action’. We are deepening our connections with the athletics community, stressing that
integrity is embodied in everyday actions. Tokyo presents a unique opportunity to highlight this
message in a culture where respect is visible and deeply rooted in daily rituals.”
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WCH Tokyo 25 mascot, Riku One (middle), pictured with staff at the AIU outreach booth.
ABOUT THE ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT
Link: HTTPS://WWW.ATHLETICSINTEGRITY.ORG
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.