7 AUGUST 2025, MONACO: The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and performance sportswear brand ASICS have launched an innovative educational partnership to strengthen their support for sports integrity and cultivate a culture of sportsmanship – offering tailored educational services on critical sports-integrity issues for ASICS-sponsored athletes, employees and support personnel.
Bespoke sessions will be delivered for different cohorts, in person and online in a global annual programme covering a full range of integrity topics including anti-doping, safeguarding, gambling, competition manipulation, and age manipulation. Additionally, one-on-one consultations will be offered to athletes upon request.
Spearheaded by the AIU Head of Education, Aditya Kumar, the first session was hosted in June at ASICS’ Chojo Camp Europe, a high-altitude training facility in southern France. Athletes, ASICS staff, trail-management consultants, and medical practitioners attended the programme’s kick-off.
Kumar emphasised the importance of stakeholder partnerships in raising awareness about fair play and empowering athletes to make informed decisions about their welfare.
“This is a significant partnership. The AIU and ASICS have recognised that by working together we can deliver a powerful message about the importance of integrity in our sport and better engage athletes on crucial topics,” noted Kumar.
ASICS has always championed the role of sport and movement in uplifting individuals and communities. This principle is encapsulated in the name ASICS, “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano,” which translates to “A Sound Mind In A Sound Body”. ASICS’ support for their athletes extends beyond traditional sponsorship to embrace a holistic approach to personal and professional development.
Underscoring their commitment to sports integrity, ASICS stressed the necessity of investing in athletes’ long-term physical and mental wellbeing which should not be sacrificed for success.
“At ASICS, we’ve always believed in the power of sports to unite people and lift spirits. Since our founding in 1949, our mission has been to help people experience the positive impact of movement and exercise on body and mind,” said ASICS Director of Sports Marketing, Olivier Mignon.
“This is why caring for our athletes’ wellbeing has always been at the core of what we do. While we’re proud to help our athletes perform well and break records, the long-term physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of every athlete means just as much. As part of our commitment to athletes’ wellbeing, we place strong emphasis on sportsmanship and sports integrity. That is why we are proud to support clean sports and contribute to a safe and fair environment for all athletes through our extended collaboration with the Athletics Integrity Unit.”
ASICS has been associated with the AIU since 2020 as one of four sportswear brands financially supporting the Road Running Integrity Programme.
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.