AIU Bolsters Its Intelligence-Collection Capacity – Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU)

13 MARCH 2026, MONACO: The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has modernized one of its main reporting tools, enhancing its intelligence-gathering capacity through enabling vital two-way communication while preserving the confidentiality of people who proactively report integrity concerns. 

This significant improvement allows the AIU to keep the lines of communication open when people provide information, thereby giving AIU’s investigators the opportunity to clarify and review information – and even get more details – in their quest to maintain the integrity of athletics. The new tool also includes multiple avenues to report to the AIU, including anonymous WhatsApp messaging and anonymous email, enhancing the accessibility for a wider range of potential users.

Integrity concerns are reported via the “Report Integrity Concerns” link on the AIU website’s homepage, or by simply scanning the relevant QR codes to open an anonymous WhatsApp or email on someone’s device. The AIU assesses incoming information for reliability and credibility, considers it against other information and will act decisively when appropriate.

“Now with three different reporting mechanisms, all of which enable ongoing two-way communication with our intelligence experts, we are striving to make the act of reporting concerns to us more accessible to the community we serve,” explained AIU Head of Investigations & Intelligence, Michael King.

“The key part of this tool is our ability to communicate anonymously with people in a two-way fashion. When someone has a concern, and they report to us, but they want to remain anonymous, we can still communicate and write to each other to seek clarifying information and provide feedback.

“We treat that confidentially. The only people who have access to this tool are trained professionals with years of experience managing confidential information from people like this. The information will be assessed against our other holdings, reviewed, investigated, and only if we have concrete information to indicate wrongdoing would we take any action.”

David Chadwick, the Founder and CEO of RealResponse – the company providing the AIU’s new reporting tool – endorsed King’s sentiments.

„When people feel safe to speak up, the integrity of sport gets stronger. Two-way anonymous communication allows investigators to move beyond a single report and have meaningful dialogue that leads to better information and better outcomes,” he said.

“We’re proud to support the AIU’s commitment to safeguarding athletics and strengthening trust across the global athletics community.“

Intelligence-gathering underpins the work of the AIU’s Investigations & Intelligence department and is essential to their efforts in battling integrity violations in athletics.

King noted the ability to check information provided through reporting avenues will bolster intelligence-gathering, adding that the AIU depends significantly on the “trust and goodwill of the athletics community”.

“These tools are critical to us doing our job and helping the athletics community. We work tirelessly to try and protect athletes, protect the community…(from) all ranges of integrity threats.

“So, if you have concerns, we need to know. Only when we know, and work together as a team, can we make any real lasting difference to help protect the sport and the community.”

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is the independent body created by the World Athletics that manages all integrity issues – both doping and non-doping – for the sport of athletics. The remit of the AIU includes anti-doping, the pursuit of individuals engaged in age or competition results manipulation, investigating fraudulent behaviour with regards to transfers of allegiance, and detecting other misconduct including bribery and breaches of betting rules.

It is the AIU’s role to drive cheats out of our sport, and to do everything within its power to support honest athletes around the world who dedicate their lives to reaching their sporting goals through dedication and hard work.

ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT – AIU