US Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley provisionally suspended for missed drug tests

American Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley has been temporarily suspended for missing three drug tests outside of competition within a span of a year. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said that missing these tests is considered as “whereabouts failures” and can result in a two-year suspension. 

Under the anti-doping rules, athletes are required to provide updated information about their whereabouts for testing, which includes a one-hour time slot each day. With this, three missed tests in a 12-month period are counted as an anti-doping violation. 

Kerley has made his name known by winning a silver medal in the 100-metre event at the Tokyo Olympics. He also won a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics last summer. More so, he became the 100-metre world champion back in 2022 and has won six medals overall at world championships. 

On social media, Kerley expressed his side of the story by stating, “I stand on truth. Out of respect for the legal process, I won’t go into further details at this time. But I can promise you this — I will be strong for my name, my career, and my legacy.” 

“I’ve faced storms before. Every time, I’ve come out stronger. This will be no different,” he added. 

Furthermore, through attorney Howard Jacobs, it was stated that Kerley would challenge the charge, and stated that the athlete “strongly believes that one or more of his alleged missed tests should be set aside either because he was not negligent or because the Doping Control Officer did not do what was reasonable under the circumstances to locate him at his designated location.”

Netizens also expressed their opinions on the subject matter. One stated: “Fred is done with track this season, but clearly track ain’t done with Fred. Leave the guy be.” 

Another expressed that this is not the first time that this has happened. “He’s not the 1st. This occurred recently with another athlete, and it was overturned. Presumption without due process is often just gossip,” the netizen said. 

In another social media post, Kerley stated: “You can try to break me in the storm, but all you’re doing is giving me a better story at the finish line.” 

You can try to break me in the storm, but all you’re doing is giving me a better story at the finish line

— Fred Kerley (@fkerley99) August 12, 2025

Kerley’s athletic concerns 

Previously, Fred Kerley denied some accusations of being arrested for battery. He was detained by law enforcement in Broward County, Florida, when official arrest records stated that the athlete was booked on a charge of “touch or strike battery,” a wrongdoing under Florida law. 

Furthermore, he was arrested in Miami Beach in January after a confrontation with police, and also faced a separate legal case for a domestic violence incident that allegedly occurred in May 2024.

Read more here.