The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the body responsible for managing athletes’ integrity concerns both doping and non-doping issues, has expressed disappointment with the outcome of the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision regarding Nigerian superstar athlete, Tobi Amusan’s appeal against her whereabouts failures charge.
The body, in a release on its official website, threatened to challenge the judgement of the Tribunal, which cleared Amusan of Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three whereabouts failures levelled against her, at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“A panel of the Disciplinary Tribunal, by majority decision, has today found that Tobi Amusan has not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period. AIU Head Brett Clothier has indicated the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is disappointed by this decision and will review the reasoning in detail before deciding whether to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within the applicable deadline. The decision is currently confidential but will be published in due course. Amusan’s provisional suspension has now been lifted with immediate effect,” the statement read.
AIU added that the details of its decision are currently confidential but will be made public in due course.
This decision could potentially create tension between the AIU and the global athletics community, as some observers have accused the AIU of targeting Amusan following her unexpected victory at the 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon last year.
In light of the Tribunal’s decision, Amusan’s provisional suspension has been immediately lifted and cleared to defend her title at the 19th World Athletics Championships, which commence this Saturday in Budapest, Hungary.
