Three track and field athletes found guilty of betting on teammates

Three track and field athletes have been sanctioned for betting on their teammates at major international competitions, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has announced.

French middle-distance runner Aurore Fleury committed the most serious violation, placing a €2,000 (US$2,400) bet at the 2024 European Championships in Rome and winning €5,000 (US$5,970), as per the Associated Press. 

Fleury, 32, a French national champion who has never competed at the Olympics, received a six-month ban, set to expire at the end of February, and was ordered to pay €3,000 (US$3,600) to charity.

German discus throwers Henrik Janssen, 27, and Steven Richter, 22, placed smaller bets at the World Championships in Tokyo last September, totaling €100 (US$118) and €40 (US$27), respectively. Both received three-month suspended bans.

The AIU noted that “lack of education on betting was one of several mitigating factors” in determining the sanctions. The athletes also received credit for early admission of their actions, showing remorse, and having clean disciplinary records prior to these incidents.

Janssen competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics but did not reach the final, while at the World Championships, Janssen qualified for the final and Richter did not.