Bahrain Charged with Serious Anti-Doping Violations Ahead of Paris Olympics
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has issued a formal notice of charge against the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) for committing significant anti-doping rule violations and for historical breaches of the World Athletics anti-doping regulations, a development that occurs just eight months prior to the Paris Olympics. While the AIU has refrained from recommending a complete ban, the association will face restrictions, being permitted to submit a maximum of only 10 athletes for participation in Paris. This limitation will extend to the World Athletics Championships scheduled in Tokyo for the following year.
As part of the agreement, the BAA will allocate up to $7.3 million over a four-year span toward addressing doping-related issues and enhancing integrity within athletics in Bahrain. Furthermore, Bahrain will be prohibited from competing in any World Athletics Series events for a period of 12 months commencing June 1, 2024.
Despite these restrictions, during the Paris Olympics, two athletes from Bahrain achieved podium finishes: Winfred Mutile Yavi secured the gold medal in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with an Olympic record time of 8:52.76, while Salwa Eid Naser earned a silver medal in the women’s 400 meters with a season-best performance of 48.53 seconds. Rhasidat Adeleke finished fourth in the same event. As a result, Bahrain concluded the Olympics ranked 14th on the overall athletics medal table.
It is relevant to note that Salwa Eid Naser, having previously won the World 400m title in 2019, had been under a two-year ban starting June 2021 due to an anti-doping violation for missing three drug tests within a year. The AIU, acting as the independent anti-doping body of World Athletics, announced in December 2023 that after an extensive 18-month investigation into the BAA’s adherence to anti-doping mandates, a charge was substantiated against the association. The investigation was prompted by serious violations committed by two Bahraini athletes during the Tokyo Olympic Games, specifically related to homologous blood transfusions, as well as the hiring of a coach who had been banned from sport due to anti-doping infractions.
The charges against the BAA included allegations of negligence and recklessness regarding doping management, which ultimately undermined the reputation and integrity of athletics. Additionally, the BAA was criticized for failing to implement reasonable measures when engaging athlete support personnel, especially in ensuring that these individuals were of good character and that the risk of doping remained minimized.
In response to these findings, the World Athletics Council approved the AIU’s recommendations that include the establishment of a new independent and WADA-compliant Bahrain National Anti-doping Organization (NADO). “The creation of a new NADO in Bahrain is particularly significant for the promotion of clean sport,” stated David Howman, the chair of the AIU. This independent body has engaged cooperatively during the investigation, showing initiative in formulating a strategic plan aimed at fostering real changes within the BAA.
Moreover, it has been decreed that Bahrain will refrain from applying for athlete allegiance transfers or recruiting foreign athletes until 2027. Instead, the BAA is tasked with developing and funding a domestic talent academy aimed at fostering local athletic development. The AIU Board expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the investigation, asserting that it successfully balanced the need for punitive action with the necessity of ensuring substantial reform within the organization and the sport itself.
Despite the ongoing controversies, Salwa Eid Naser will continue her competitive season, participating in the Diamond League events, which are not classified under the World Athletics Series. She is scheduled to race in the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland, alongside her fellow Olympians Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek. Rhasidat Adeleke is also expected to compete in Silesia, marking her return to competition subsequent to her fourth-place finish in Paris.
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