An agreement has been reached by the Association of Athletics Managers (AAM) that its members will not represent any athlete who tests positive and is convicted of a doping violation for which he or she serves a two-year ban or longer. It is believed to be one of the first such agreements in any sport.
The association, whose 29 members represent many of the top track-and-field athletes in the world, reached the decision at its annual meeting in Miami Beach, which ended Thursday (8).
Among other issues discussed were ways to streamline meet payments to athletes and to improve conditions for athletes on both the IAAF World Athletics Tour and at major championships.
“We applaud the AAM for its forward thinking and action,” said Rajne Soderberg, Euromeetings president and meeting director of the DN Galan in Stockholm. “The future of our sport depends on people finding ways to rid our ranks of those who use or turn a blind eye to the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, and this is a bold step in that direction.”
Effective immediately, the agreement would apply to any athlete currently serving a ban of two years or more, in addition to future offenders.