Athletes from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Portugal to face tougher drug testing

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Monday that athletes from four countries, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Portugal, will face more stringent out-of-competition (OOC) drug testing before they can be eligible for the 2024 Olympic Games, which will begin on July 26 in Paris, France.

"The four federations received clear warnings from the AIU about the insufficiency of their national testing programs after the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Eugene," the AIU said in the statement. "All four failed to ensure that there was proportionate OOC testing for their teams at the following World Athletics Championships in Budapest 2023."

The AIU board recommended the above proposal to the World Athletics Council, which then approved the recommendations "for all four federations to have testing eligibility conditions imposed on their athletes in order to participate in Paris 2024."

As a result, these countries' athletes will undergo at least three no-notice OOC tests, with each test being conducted at least three weeks apart before July 4.

"We are pleased with the council's decision to support the AIU recommendations," David Howman, chairman of the AIU, said. "This action is tough but necessary as we did not receive an adequate response from these federations to clear warnings we gave in the lead-up to the World Athletics Championships last year."

"In this Olympic year, we trust this will be a reminder to all member federations that the AIU and World Athletics are extremely serious about ensuring a level playing field for athletes," he added.

Brazil secured 21 medals – seven golds, six silvers and eight bronzes – at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021. Ecuador got two golds and one silver. Portugal had one gold, one silver and two bronzes. Peru returned without a medal.