Fred Kerley’s 2025 season has unraveled in a way few could have predicted. Once a figure of dominance in the men’s 100 meters, the Olympic medalist and 2022 world champion has instead been defined by absence, setbacks, and legal drama. His fastest time of the year, a 9.98 in May, looked promising, but soon his appearances on the track dwindled. By July, he had withdrawn from the U.S. Championships, admitting that he needed “time to get back on track.” Days later, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced a provisional suspension for three whereabouts failures in the span of a year. A potential two-year ban now looms over one of America’s most decorated sprinters.

The challenges have not been limited to competition. In January and again in May, Kerley was arrested on battery charges, incidents that drew public attention away from his performances on the Diamond League circuit, where he managed only modest results: third in Rabat at 10.07 and fifth in Rome at 10.06. His last race came on July 11, with no sponsor backing him on the track after parting with Asics and briefly signing with Nike the previous summer. Against that backdrop, the suspension announcement has cast his career into deeper uncertainty, leaving fans and athletes alike to weigh the consequences of his missed tests and what they may mean for the future of his career.

It was in this moment that another Olympic sprinter, Aaron Brown of Canada, offered words of support that stood out. Brown, who had himself been disqualified from the 200 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League for a false start, reflected on Kerley’s situation with candor. “Yeah. It’s really unfortunate. You know, I like Fred as a person and he’s obviously a great talent. He has pulled out some great performances over the years, including his world championship win back in 2022. And he’s always a guy that you can’t count out.” Brown further added while in conversation with Perdita Felicien for CBC Sports, “So, like to have him out, you know, it’s it’s a big blow to the sport.” His comments underscored the irony of timing: one Olympic medalist facing a suspension for missed tests while another dealt with the sting of disqualification in his own event.

Brown went further, acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining whereabouts compliance while still drawing a firm line around accountability. “I hate seeing news like this, especially over whereabouts, failures. You know, we’ve had this in the past and it’s tough. Um, you know, as an athlete, I’ve been bound to the same rules and I’ve been under the scrutiny of having to submit my whereabouts since I was 17 years old. And, uh, I’ve been doing it every year since. And it’s it’s not fun. It’s annoying. And I could definitely see how people can forget, especially like you said, he’s been dealing with a lot this year, off the track stuff. And, you know, track was probably on the back of his mind and just made a mistake and messed up.” His words provided a perspective from inside the athlete pool, where the system is both burdensome and absolute.

The suspension is not yet final, as Kerley has vowed to contest the decision through his attorney, who argues that one or more of the missed tests should be set aside due to errors by the doping control officer. That fight, however, will take time.

For now, the narrative surrounding Kerley rests on missed opportunities and unanswered questions. Brown’s backing has given the American sprinter a rare voice of solidarity at a time when his career stands at its most fragile point. Whether the support of peers can change the trajectory remains uncertain, but it reinforces the broader truth: athletics is as much about resilience off the track as it is about the times posted on it. Amidst all this, the American sprinter has made a huge announcement.

Kerley Likely Stepping Away From the 2025 World Championships After US Trials Withdrawal

Fred Kerley has drawn a firm line under his 2025 campaign with the announcement that he will not contest the United States Track and Field Championships in Eugene. The decision, made public through his own statement, eliminates any possibility of his appearance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this summer. For an athlete whose career has been defined by resilience on the track, the withdrawal represents a decisive break from a season already clouded by uncertainty.

In a measured message to his supporters, Kerley remarked, “The 100m should be a straight sprint. 2025 has presented many hurdles. Taking some time out to get back on track. No USATF Champs this year.” His words left little ambiguity about his intentions: to step away from immediate competition rather than force a campaign that no longer reflected his standards. The phrasing suggested both weariness and a determination to regroup, a duality that captures the delicate position of a champion adjusting to circumstances beyond performance alone.

The absence of Kerley at Hayward Field, where he once claimed a world title, alters the complexion of the national trials in significant fashion. He had recently produced a 9.98-second clocking, a reminder of his capacity to compete among the very best, yet he has chosen not to extend that momentum into this championship season.

In doing so, he has created an opening for younger athletes to occupy a stage that, in recent years, he himself commanded. His withdrawal leaves unanswered questions regarding the trajectory of his career, yet it also underscores his willingness to pause rather than pursue unsteady ground.