Athletes Receive Shortened Suspensions Following Admitting to Betting on Teammates

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has issued temporary bans to three track and field athletes after it came to light that they had made bets on their teammates at championship events across the globe.

Athletes Didn’t Realize Betting on Teammates Was Prohibited

By giving temporary bans to the German discus throwers Steven Richter and Henrik Janssen and the French middle-distance runner Aurore Fleury, the AIU has shown its lack of tolerance for those who break the rules.

However, when issuing the sanctions, the AIU did take into account the fact that all three of the athletes had confessed to having made bets, with Richter and Janssen having attempted to cancel theirs after being informed that “betting on teammates was prohibited”.

The AIU had this to say on the matter:

“With all three athletes also offering early admission, demonstrating genuine remorse for their actions, and having previously possessed clean disciplinary records.”

AIU

Before they are allowed to return, in addition to their suspensions, the athletes will be required to finish the International Olympic Committee’s online training on competition manipulation.

The Case of Richter and Janssen

In September 2025, during the World Athletics championships in Tokyo, the 27-year-old Janssen made a bet worth EUR 100 ($118) while the 23-year-old Richter placed a bet worth EUR 40 ($47). At the event, Janssen managed to qualify for the final. The two have received a 3-month-long suspension.

During the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, 32-year-old two-time French 1500-meter champion Fleury won EUR 5,000 ($5,895) by betting EUR 2,000 ($2,358) on her teammate.

Due to the higher stakes bet she made, the AIU gave her a lengthier suspension, which will last 6-months and is set to end in February.

In addition to the ban, the athlete also has to pay EUR 3,000 ($3,600) to a charity. Fleury’s bet was uncovered when she posted on social media that she had won her wager.

The athlete shared that she had not been made aware that her actions violated the AIU’s rules: “It never crossed my mind that I wasn’t allowed to place this bet.”