A ban has been imposed on Fred Kerley for missing 3 consecutive drug tests in 12 months, amounting to a “whereabouts failure.” However, when the news of his ban broke, Kerley also had to deal with a lot of backlash. While the ban keeps him out of competition till August 2027, Kerley disclosed that the emotional impact extends much further than the track.

“You said I caused ‘distress,’ but let’s be real once you mentioned my situation publicly, you sent a signal to the whole world,” Kerley shared on X.

Kerley further revealed the extent of the backlash he has been getting, “Since then I’ve had people in my DMs calling me racist names like ‘monkey.’ That’s the kind of hate that comes from the narrative that was created.”

He then firmly stated, “So if we’re talking about distress, let’s tell the truth: that situation already brought distress into my life. Athletes deserve fairness, respect, and protection from narratives that open the door to this kind of abuse.”

But what caused Kerley to share this message in the first place?

When AIU sent Kerley a communication letter, as part of his response, Kerley shared an image of the letter on Instagram. While Kerley had redacted certain financial details, the name of an AIU staff member involved in the case reportedly remained visible.

This caused AIU to send him another letter stating, “Mr Kerley has more than 1 million followers on Instagram. His conduct is totally unacceptable and it has already caused much distress to the individual concerned,” the AIU letter read.

In reply to that, Kerley opened up about his own “distress” on social media. 

The AIU openly posted Kerley’s suspension on X and pinned it: “A Disciplinary Tribunal has banned Fred Kerley (USA) for 2 years, from 12 August 2025, for Whereabouts Failures. DQ results since 6 December 2024.” This perhaps didn’t sit well with Kerley.

For him, the very mention of the word “whereabouts” in public suggested wrongdoing before the facts were known. And he didn’t keep quiet about it.

“The moment you mention ‘whereabouts,’ the world automatically assumes drugs,” Fred Kerley shared. “That narrative damages athletes before the truth even comes out. If you’re going to talk tell the whole story: I was tested week after week and right before those tests I was competing at track meets. When my income was taken away, it felt like I was being told to go hustle in the streets just to survive. I told y’all to choose wisely because I’m not the one.”

On another post, Fred Kerley has also called on the AIU to publicly acknowledge his position: “AIU tell the world the truth. I am a clean athlete. I have never tested positive for anything in my life. Stop playing with my name.”

His demand underscores his ongoing fight to clear his name, but it’s only part of a larger grievance. Fred Kerley is also frustrated with the AIU asking to pay him $3000.

Fred Kerley pushes back against AIU’s $3,000 cost demand

Along with a 2-year ban for being “negligent and to a certain extent reckless” about his drug testing, Fred Kerley was asked by the AIU to pay World Athletics $3000 before March 20 to cover the legal costs incurred by his case. This for Kerley, was a part of an unfair ordeal.

Fred Kerley argued that athletes already contribute enormously to the sport through their performances, public image, and effort, so why should they also bankroll the disciplinary system used against them?

“The AIU runs a case on me, then orders me to pay $3,000 to World Athletics… So the same system that prosecutes the case thinks I should also pay their legal costs?” Kerley wrote.

“Athletes already fund this sport with our performances, our likeness, and our labour. Now we’re supposed to finance the legal system used against us, too?”

Fred Kerley included a stinging indictment of the internal problems of the organization: “Meanwhile, this is the same organization where an audit found over $1.5 million stolen internally by staff. Millions can go missing inside the system… but the athlete is the one being told to pay the bill.”

The difference between the mismanagement of institutions and personal accountability reveals the injustice he is facing currently.

For someone with no prior record of suspension or anti-doping violations facing this ban, these financial demands and public scrutiny add an extra layer of strain.