IAAF Completes Assembly of Athletics Integrity Unit

(ATR) The supervisory Board of the International Association of Athletics Federations’ Athletics Integrity Unit appoints Brett Clothier as the AIU’s first leader.

The AIU was inaugurated by the IAAF in April with the establishment of its Board including chairperson David Howman and members Abby Hoffman, Andrew Pipe and Marc Peltier.

Howman and the Board believe Clothier is the perfect person to lead the fight against ethics breaches in athletics.

"The AIU Board conducted a very thorough search process for its first Head, and we are delighted to have attracted someone of Brett’s caliber," Howman said in a statement.

Clothier is well known for his work in the ethics sector of sports, establishing and leading a similar integrity unit for the Australian Football League for eight years. Before that role, Clothier served as legal counsel to the Integrity Services Department of Racing Victoria for four years.

"His track record of establishing and driving forward the AFL Integrity Unit from scratch eight years ago speaks for itself, and means he is the ideal person to lead the AIU’s athlete-centered programs during this crucial period for our sport," said Howman.

IAAF president Sebastian Coe said that Clothier’s experience will "be a huge asset to the AIU in safeguarding our sport’s ethical credibility".

"The Athletics Integrity Unit sits at the epicenter of the IAAF’s integrity reforms and today’s announcement is the final brick in athletics’ robust wall of ethical defenses," said Coe. "The unit, which has been built for athletes so that they have the necessary information and support to make the right choices in their careers, is about restoring trust in competition."

Clothier says he looks forward to the challenge of restoring this trust.

"I am excited by the opportunity I have been given to lead the AIU in rebuilding athlete and fan confidence in how we manage threats to the sport," Clothier said. "I look forward to working with athletes and all members of the athletics community."

Before the IAAF World Championships in London begin this August, Clothier will be responsible for overall operations of the AIU and overseeing its core activities including testing, intelligence and investigations, compliance, case management and education.

AIU Adds Communications Consultant

Former media relations manager of the World Anti-Doping Agency Ben Nichols will be joining the newly formed Athletics Integrity Unit along with Clothier.

Nichols will consult for the AIU throughout the summer months and the IAAF World Championships in 2017.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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