Track and field athletes punished for betting on teammates at world and European champs

MONACO (AP) — Three track and field athletes were found guilty of betting on their teammates in events at world and European championships, the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Thursday.

In the most serious breach of the sport’s rules prohibiting bets, French middle distance runner Aurore Fleury won 5,000 euros ($5,970) from a 2,000 euros ($2,400) wager at the 2024 European championships in Rome.

German discus throwers Henrik Janssen and Steven Richter made bets totaling, respectively, 100 euros and 40 euros at the worlds last September in Tokyo.

Fleury got a six-month ban that expires at the end of February and was ordered to pay 3,000 euros ($3,600) that will be donated to a charity, the AIU said. The 32-year-old runner is a French national champion though never competed at an Olympics.

Janssen, who is 27, and Richter, 22, got three-month suspended bans.

“Lack of education on betting was one of several mitigating factors in arriving at the sanctions,” the AIU said, “with all three athletes also offering early admission, demonstrating genuine remorse for their actions and having previously possessed clean disciplinary records.”

Janssen competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics but did not make the final. At the worlds last September, Janssen qualified for the final and Richter did not.

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AP Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games