L. MathekaAthletics Integrity Unit promises full-scale operations as 2023 road racing calendar is released
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 05.11.22. | 15:22
The series begins with the Xiamen Marathon, a Platinum Label race, on 2 January and concludes on 31 December with New Year’s Eve races in Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Bolzano in Italy and Hainan in China
Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has assured stakeholders that they will continue their robust integrity operation for the 2023 season of road racing.
World Athletics has released a calendar that has included a record 238 races in the 2023 World Athletics Label Road Race calendar.
.jpg)
This is an increase of almost 20 races from the 2022 schedule and will allow AIU to extend the registered drug-testing pool for road-racing, due to the extra funding provided through the Label race programme.
"After two years of operations limited by the pandemic, the integrity programme will be back to full strength, underwritten by a budget that doubles to nearly $3 million. This shows the remarkable commitment of the road running industry to clean sport,” explained AIU head Brett Clothier.
Their operation will encompass testing, investigations and intelligence and case management.
It is anticipated that a registered testing pool of approximately 300 professional athletes will be created, around 2000 tests will be conducted out-of-competition and over 1450 tests in-competition in 2023.
Additionally, the AIU will continue to ramp up its education programmes within the road-running community in an effort to reduce doping and to promote clean competition.
The races registered for 2023 include 14 Platinum Label races (14 marathons), 38 Gold Label races (25 marathons and 13 other distance races), 66 Elite Label races (41 marathons, 25 other distance races) and 120 Label races (59 marathons, 61 other distance races) spread across 53 countries and all six geographic areas.
The series begins with the Xiamen Marathon, a Platinum Label race, on 2 January and concludes on 31 December with New Year’s Eve races in Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Bolzano in Italy and Hainan in China.
The schedule remains subject to change given the ongoing uncertainty created by the global coronavirus pandemic.
"Road running has become lucrative for athletes, which is very welcome. Through this increased funding we can put in place a proportionate programme to protect clean athletes and help create a fair and doping-free environment in which to showcase their talent," Clothier added.
Additional information by World Athletics
