Katir Handed Four-Year Ban for Tampering – ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT – AIU

20 DECEMBER 2024, MONACO: World 5,000 metres silver medallist Mohamed Katir has been banned by the Disciplinary Tribunal for four years for Tampering after falsifying documents in relation to a Whereabouts Failure.

The 26-year-old Spanish middle-distance runner, who is currently serving a two-year ban until 6 February 2026 for three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period, was sanctioned under Rule 2.5 of the Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) relating to Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control by an Athlete or other Person, following a charge brought by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on 12 June 2024.

The four-year ban will run concurrently with the ongoing Whereabouts Failures sanction, extending Katir’s ban from the sport until February 2028.

Katir – also a world 1,500 metres bronze medallist – was found to have falsified travel documents (namely a travel Itinerary, boarding pass and booking confirmation) in an attempt to mislead investigators as they probed the veracity of his explanation for a Whereabouts Failure that occurred on 28 February 2023.

“There can be no doubt that: a) The Athlete put forward a false version of events and altered documents. b) He did so in order to persuade WA (World Athletics) that his Filing Failure on 28 February 2023 should not be treated as a Whereabouts Failure,” concluded the Tribunal in its judgement.

“In those circumstances, it is obvious that the Athlete committed an ADRV (Anti-Doping Rules Violation) by Tampering, or Attempted Tampering under Rule 2.5 ADR.”

However, the Disciplinary Tribunal denied the AIU’s request for Katir’s results to be disqualified from 9 March 2023 – the “date of deception” – on fairness grounds, because the Tampering had occurred “at the time of a first Whereabouts Failure and the Athlete has not benefited from a competitive advantage which affected his results”.

AIU Head Brett Clothier said the ruling underscored the seriousness of Tampering.

“Gone are the days in athletics when explanations offered in anti-doping cases are just accepted at face value. Thanks to strong investment in investigations, since its inception in 2017, the AIU has prosecuted 25 Tampering cases,” stressed Clothier.

“The vast majority of our elite athletes respect the strict rules and processes of the sport and they should take heart at the action being taken to ensure a level playing field.”

On 13 February 2024, Katir admitted to breaching Rule 2.4 ADR regarding Whereabouts Failures and accepted the imposed sanction of 2 years, but investigators further reviewed information relating to his explanation for the first of those Whereabouts Failures a year earlier on 28 February 2023. The review uncovered that Katir had submitted falsified travel documentation in support of his rejected explanation for the Whereabouts Failure. A Tampering charge was then brought by the AIU in addition to the Whereabouts Failures violation.

KATIR DECISION

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.

Source: ATHLETICS INTEGRITY UNIT