AIU Suspends three Athletes for Gambling Violoations

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the World Athletics-funded doping control body, has imposed sanctions on three European athletes after finding breaches of World Athletics’ anti-betting rules.

After review, the AIU found that German discus throwers Henrik Janssen and Steven Richter, along with French middle-distance runner Aurore Fleury, violated the World Athletics Integrity Code and Manipulation of Competition rules by placing bets on athletics events, as per the AIU’s press release. All three athletes admitted to the violations.

Janssen and Richter Given 3-month Suspensions

Janssen, 27, and Richter, 22, each received three-month bans following betting activity linked to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Investigations revealed that both athletes placed small wagers on the competition, including bets involving teammates, during a pre-championship training camp in Japan. For Janssen, his bet was discovered after a third party overheard him talking to another athlete about his bet.

He was then told by another athlete that such bets were against World Athletics’ code of conduct. He admitted to making three bets totaling €100, all on the same day, and said that he didn’t know that the bets were a breach of the rules until he was later told.

Similarly, Richter’s bet was also discovered when he was overheard talking about it. After finding out that making such a bet was against the World Athletics Code of Conduct, he unsuccessfully tried to cancel his €40 wager without making any further bets.

The AIU issued both men three-month bans.

Ritcher is the defending European U23 winner in the discus and silver medalist from the World University Games this past summer.

Janssen is the two-time German discus champion and finished eighth at the 2023 World Championship.

Neither man’s suspension should significantly impact their outdoor seasons.

Fleury Given Six-Month Suspension and a €3000 Fine

Fleury, 32, received a more severe penalty after betting €2,000 on a teammate during the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, resulting in winnings of €5,000. The AIU handed her a six-month ban, effective from September 1, 2025, as well as a €3,000 fine, which will be donated to charity.

Fleury is the 2022 Mediterranean Games Champion in the 1,500-meter and a two-time silver medalist at the European Cross Country Championships.

As part of their sanctions, all three athletes have been ordered to complete the International Olympic Committee’s online training on preventing competition manipulation. The AIU noted that none of the athletes had previously received formal education on betting rules, a factor considered in determining their relatively light suspensions. Other factors that contributed include early admissions, expressions of remorse, and clean disciplinary histories.

AIU Head Brett Clothier Statement

AIU Head Brett Clothier emphasized that anti-betting rules are fundamental to protecting the integrity of athletics, warning that future violations could result in harsher sanctions. In the AIU press release, he said, “World Athletics Rules regarding betting are in place to ensure that the results in our sport are determined solely on merit. The AIU maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards breaches of the betting rules as they strike at the heart of the integrity of sport.”

Clothier also called on national federations to strengthen education efforts to ensure athletes fully understand the regulations governing betting and competition manipulation.

This is the first case of athletes being suspended for gambling since the founding of the AIU in 2017. However, the risk of gambling influencing the results of competitions has become a growing worry in many sports, including athletics.

This worry is largely driven by many countries and regions making sportsbooks more accessible. Most sportsbooks provide a disclaimer that certain people, such as athletes and coaches, may not be able to use their services without breaking their league’s codes of conduct. However, the responsibility to make sure that there’s no conflict of interest ultimately falls on the user.

Although World Athletics has largely been free of gambling-related issues, other sports, such as Major League Baseball, have a long history of dishing out extremely harsh penalties, including lifetime bans, to prevent betting from threatening the integrity of the sport.

Two months ago, we wrote about how there haven’t been any major gambling scandals in athletics to date. Although these three cases seem relatively minor, hopefully, they aren’t a sign of worse to come.