The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has imposed temporary suspensions on three track and field athletes for betting on their teammates during global championship events.
**Athletes Unaware of Betting Prohibition**
The AIU suspended German discus throwers Steven Richter and Henrik Janssen, and French middle-distance runner Aurore Fleury, highlighting the AIU’s strict stance against rule violations. Despite this, the AIU noted that all three confessed to betting, with Richter and Janssen attempting to rescind their bets after learning it was forbidden.
The AIU stated, “With all three athletes also offering early admission, demonstrating genuine remorse for their actions, and having previously possessed clean disciplinary records.”
Before their return, the athletes must complete the International Olympic Committee’s online training on competition manipulation.
**Richter and Janssen’s Situation**
In September 2025, at the World Athletics championships in Tokyo, 27-year-old Janssen bet EUR 100 ($118) and 23-year-old Richter bet EUR 40 ($47). Janssen qualified for the final, and both received a 3-month suspension.
In the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, 32-year-old Fleury, a two-time French 1500-meter champion, won EUR 5,000 ($5,895) by betting EUR 2,000 ($2,358) on her teammate. The AIU gave her a longer 6-month suspension due to the higher stakes, ending in February. She must also pay EUR 3,000 ($3,600) to charity. Fleury’s bet was discovered after she posted about her win on social media.
Fleury said she was unaware her actions breached AIU rules: “It never crossed my mind that I wasn’t allowed to place this bet.”
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com