How does the temporary suspension affect Mo Katir?

That news was yesterday Mohamed Katir5000m world runner-up and one of the greatest figures in Spanish athletics, received the temporary suspension of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for failing to meet three anti-doping controls.

The athlete himself explained in a statement that “This is a simple file derived from the completion of location data on the ADAMS platform that may have generated location errors (where).”

That is, we are not facing a violation file for the use of prohibited substances or methods, but a penalty for violation of location regulationsan important part of the global plan for out-of-competition controls in sport.

So, What does the temporary suspension mean and how will it affect Mo Katir’s career?

What is provisional suspension?

As the Athletics Integrity Unit explains on its website, a temporary suspension is a temporary suspension which applies to an athlete or other person temporarily disqualified from participating in any athletics competition, pending a final decision.

If the temporary suspension is the result of a no doping cases, such as Katir’s case, does not in any way nullify the presumption of innocence and does not constitute a preliminary determination of guilt. Rather, it is an order issued on a precautionary basis to safeguard the interests of the sport.

License suspension

One of the first consequences of the temporary suspension imposed by the AIU was the license suspension by Mohamed Katir on behalf of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation.

In an official statement, the RFEA explained that “an athlete who is temporarily suspended or has an open file for doping or discipline does not meet the eligibility criteria approved by the RFEA Governing Board”, so the institution continued to suspension of athlete’s license.

What are the localization regulations?

Location regulations are an important part of the overall plan for out-of-competition controls in the sport. It is part of the International Testing and Investigation Standard and involves a number of high-level athletes, included in a registered control group, providing their National Anti-Doping Organization with details of his whereabouts to cooperate with out-of-competition controls.

Because out-of-competition testing is often conducted without prior notice, monitoring is a key doping detection and prevention mechanism.

Information that elite athletes must provide includes the location of housethe place of practiceprogramming competitions and a period of 60 minutes every day where the athlete must be available.

The communication of this information is done through ADAMS platform (AntiDoping Administration Management System), a website where athletes can report their location, request permission for therapeutic use or find out their doping control results.

What punishment can Katir receive for breaking the localization rules?

The World Anti-Doping Code establishes that an athlete’s failed location constitutes a anti-doping rule violation.

Failed location means “Any combination of three failures to comply with the obligation to submit to checks and/or failures to provide location data within twelve months.”

Said code establishes that violations due to failed location imply a period of two-year disqualificationwith the possibility of a reduction of at least one year, depending on the “degree of guilt” of the athlete.

However, Katir warned that he will appeal the decision adopted by the AIU “to compete during the processing of the procedure.”