Fred Kerley Banned Two Years
U.S. Olympic medalist and world champion sprinter Fred Kerley received a two-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit for missing three doping tests. The suspension means Kerley will miss upcoming championships and raises further questions about anti-doping protocols in elite athletics.
The suspension for three "whereabouts failures" stems from missed tests on May 11, June 13, and December 6, 2024. A disciplinary tribunal labeled the 2022 world 100-meter champion as “negligent and, to a certain extent, reckless” in his failure to adhere to anti-doping regulations. Kerley’s ban is set to run until August 11, 2027. This lengthy absence will force Kerley to miss significant international competitions. He will be ineligible for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in 2026 and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. All of his competitive results between December 6, 2024, and August 12, 2025, have also been nullified. Bans for whereabouts failures are not uncommon in track and field. Other notable American athletes who have faced suspensions for similar violations include 100-meter world champion Christian Coleman and Olympic 100-meter hurdles champion Brianna Rollins. Canadian Olympic swimming champion Penny Oleksiak also recently received a two-year ban for whereabouts failures. Kerley has publicly expressed his frustration with the ruling on social media and has the option to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In the meantime, he has announced his intention to compete in the Enhanced Games, a controversial event that does not prohibit the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
