Fred Kerley might not have been in the greatest of forms this season, but if he were, there is no debating that he could have been one of the best athletes to go to Tokyo. But the 2022 World Champion chose to sit out the USATF and thus skip Tokyo. The real shocker came when the Athletics Integrity Unit banned him for 2 years for missing three doping tests over 12 months. And if that wasn’t enough, there is more.

As of now, Kerley’s legal team has said that he is clean, and the sprinter himself made it clear that he has never taken any dr–s, but it sure was a loss for US track and field in terms of competition.“I have never used performance enhancing dr–s and have always competed clean,” he said on social media. “I firmly believe one or more of the alleged ‘missed tests’ were not missed. I will fight for my name and legacy.”

Now, add to that Olympic medalist Raven Saunders, who is next on the list. “Track and Field Athlete Raven Saunders Accepts Sanction for Second Anti-Doping Rule Violation,” USADA announced today via X. NBC Sports Director of Social Media, Travis Miller, provided more information, tweeting, “Tokyo Olympics shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders receives 30-month ban for whereabouts failures after previously being banned 18 months for whereabouts failures in 2022.”

Saunders secured the silver medal in the women’s shot put at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a throw of 19.79 meters. After that, their participation in sports has not been that easy.

The 29-year-old was first banned for 18 months from August 2022 to February 2024 because of the same reasons, whereabouts failures. These failures occurred on January 8, May 26, and August 15, 2022, when Saunders missed scheduled doping tests. After serving the suspension, Saunders returned to competition in February 2024. They qualified for the women’s shot put final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing 11th with a throw of 18.62 meters. However, 2024 brought additional problems.

“Within a 12-month period, Saunders accrued three Whereabouts Failures: the first on April 19, 2024, the second on May 17, 2024, and the third on December 26, 2024,” read the press release by USADA. Since it was their second violation, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency imposed a longer sanction  — 30 months  — starting on December 26, 2024, taking into account their degree of fault and the overall circumstances. This means that they are ineligible to compete until mid-2027 and must forfeit any results, points, or prizes from that date onward. Lately, the US has lost some good track and field athletes.

US track and field athlete facing ban scare

As August came to an end, more bad news came for US track and field fans. Major marathon bronze medalist Shadrack Biwott was banned. “After an evidentiary hearing on May 7, 2025, where both Biwott and USADA were provided a full opportunity to present their cases and witnesses to the independent arbitrator, the arbitrator determined that Biwott, 40, will receive a four-year sanction as a result of a positive test for erythropoietin (EPO) during an out-of-competition drug test on January 25, 2024,” the press release read.

EPO is a non-specified substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics. Biwott’s first urine test at the UCLA Laboratory detected EPO, and subsequent blood testing at the SMRTL Laboratory confirmed the result. He requested an analysis of his B sample, which also tested positive. Although he challenged the test’s accuracy, four independent scientists reviewed all the evidence and concurred with the findings, ultimately resulting in his suspension. He was disappointed.

Fred Kerley is already on the list. Erriyon Knighton has faced a similar issue. In 2024, he tested positive for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of trenbolone, which he claimed was due to contaminated meat he had consumed. An American tribunal accepted his explanation and cleared him of any wrongdoing, allowing him to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Paris Olympics. However, the Athletics Integrity Unit and WADA have appealed the ruling, meaning his case is still unresolved and the legal process is ongoing. What do you think can be the root problem of all of this?