‘We target performance, not Geography: AIU clarifies why African athletes are tested more often

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the global watchdog for clean sport in athletics, has addressed concerns over the disproportionately high number of doping tests conducted on African athletes—particularly those from Kenya and Ethiopia.

Responding to criticism that its testing strategy unfairly targets African nations, the AIU emphasized that its approach is based solely on athlete performance, not geography or nationality.

‘Our anti-doping testing strategy is driven by athlete performance. We focus our resources on the best athletes—those winning races and consistently ranked highest globally,’ the AIU stated on its official channels.

The organization explained that long-distance running, a discipline dominated by elite athletes from African nations, naturally attracts more scrutiny.

This is compounded by the structure of the Road Running Integrity Programme, which is heavily funded by industry stakeholders such as World Athletics, major shoe brands (Nike, adidas, ASICS, On Running), and athlete representatives.

This program supports a Registered Testing Pool (RTP) of around 300 road-running athletes, compared to about 450 athletes across all other disciplines combined. As a result, road runners—many of whom hail from Africa—undergo more frequent testing.

‘Our strategy is not about targeting specific regions or countries. It is about testing the best athletes to safeguard clean sport globally,’ the AIU reiterated.

The AIU also publishes detailed testing statistics and sanction records on its official website, reinforcing its commitment to transparency and fairness in the fight against doping.