AIU Chief Warns Global Anti‑Doping Fight Has ‘Stalled’, Says Elite Dopers Are Evading Detection

The global anti‑doping system is failing to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cheats, according to Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) Chair David Howman, who has warned that elite athletes intent on breaking the rules are slipping through the cracks.

Speaking after last week’s World Conference on Doping in Sport, Howman said the worldwide fight against doping has ‘stalled’, despite the AIU’s growing number of disciplinary cases.

AIU figures show that international cases have risen from 62 in 2021 to 100 in 2024, while national cases have jumped from 185 to 305 over the same period. Yet Howman believes these numbers tell only part of the story, insisting that many deliberate dopers are still evading detection.

‘Let’s be honest and pragmatic, intentional dopers at elite level are evading detection. We are not effective enough nowadays in catching cheats,’ he said.

Several high profile athletes have been sanctioned this year, including women’s marathon world record‑holder Ruth Chepngetich, who received a three‑year ban after admitting to anti‑doping violations.

Her world record remains valid because it was set before her positive test. In the United States, Olympic medallist Fred Kerley was provisionally suspended for whereabouts failures, while world 100m silver medallist Marvin Bracy accepted a 45‑month ban for doping offences.

Howman said that while education programmes help deter some athletes, they have little impact on those determined to cheat at the highest level.

He warned that the system’s inability to outsmart dopers is damaging public confidence in anti‑doping efforts.

‘Our ineffectiveness in dealing with those who are beating the rules is hurting the anti‑doping movement’s credibility, with the resulting risk that our clean‑sport message falls on deaf ears,’ he said.

The AIU chief called for a shift away from box‑ticking compliance toward more ambitious, intelligence‑driven anti‑doping strategies.

He urged closer scientific collaboration between WADA and leading anti‑doping organisations, arguing that research priorities must evolve to match the sophistication of modern doping methods.

He also suggested that WADA’s International Standards should be reviewed more frequently to ensure they support investigative work.

The broader anti‑doping landscape has been unsettled in recent years. Tensions between WADA and the US Anti‑Doping Agency have intensified over the handling of a doping scandal involving 23 Chinese swimmers, as well as disagreements over funding and the controversial Enhanced Games, an event that openly encourages performance‑enhancing drug use.

Kenya remains on a WADA watchlist following a surge in positive tests, while Russia continues to be deemed non‑compliant due to its state‑sponsored doping programme exposed after the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Howman said anti‑doping bodies must share information more effectively and even consider incentive based approaches to encourage proactive investigations. ‘We must all do better to support our clean athletes by catching the dirty ones, especially those at the pinnacle of sport,’ he said.