Three athletes have been issued bans and suspended bans from their respective track and field events after being found guilty of betting on their teammates in competition.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), a Monaco-based organization designed to combat doping and address other forms of ethical misconduct, revealed French middle distance runner Aurore Fleury and German discus throwers Henrik Janssen and Steven Richter got a six month ban and suspended three month bans respectively.
“Lack of education” contributed to the case, say AIU
Each of the athletes were deemed to have broken World Athletics Integrity Code of Conduct, Rule 10.6, which states: “A betting prohibition means that accredited persons are not allowed to bet on their competitions, disciplines at the World Athletics Series Events or other competitions and disciplines at a multi-sports event such as the Olympic Games.”
Revealing the news, the AIU explained the reasons behind the relatively soft punishments: “Lack of education on betting was one of several mitigating factors in arriving at the sanctions, with all three athletes also offering early admission, demonstrating genuine remorse for their actions and having previously possessed clean disciplinary records.”
Fleury earned €5,000 ($5,970) from a €2,000 ($2,400) bet at the 2024 European Championships in Rome. She is a previous French national champion, although he is yet to represent his country at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Janssen and Richter were found guilty of placing €100 ($120) and €40 ($50) bets at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Janssen has previously represented his country at the Olympics, but did not make the final.
Recent studies show prevalence of gambling among pro athletes
Recent research shows that gambling is relatively common among competitive athletes, though official self-betting is rare. A 2025 study of elite Swedish footballers found that 60.6 % of athletes had gambled in the past year, with 72 % of those participating in sports betting, highlighting the broader engagement of professional athletes with gambling activities.
The same study also found that 6.6 % met criteria for problem gambling, underscoring the risks associated with betting in high-performance sport environments.
Similar patterns emerge in student-athlete populations. A 2024 survey of NCAA athletes reported that 22 % of male student-athletes had placed a bet on sports within the previous year, demonstrating that exposure to gambling behaviors is prevalent even before reaching the professional level.
Systematic reviews of elite athletes’ gambling habits further suggest that competitive athletes may engage in gambling at higher rates than the general population, though lack of education and awareness often contributes to ethical breaches, such as the ones seen in the Fleury, Janssen, and Richter cases.
College basketball coach slams predators in “point-shaving” case
Meanwhile, in US College basketball, Kennesaw State coach Antoine Pettway recently called out “predators” who entice young players into illegal betting and point-shaving schemes.
Referring to a recent scandal, he said: “”When you’re a grown man, and you’re reaching out to kids that don’t have a lot of bread, don’t have a lot of money, and you’re being a predator online, that’s a problem,
“There’s a lot of dudes on that list that you feel bad for, that they’ve got a long road ahead of them because, in the dark, a grown-up reached out to them and led them down the wrong path.”
Recent spate of match-fixing instances in professional sport
In October last year, the FBI executed a sweeping federal investigation into illegal sports betting and gambling activities that resulted in the arrest of over 30 individuals linked to professional basketball, including current and former NBA personnel.
Among those taken into custody were Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. The charges stem from two separate criminal schemes: one involving the alleged use of non‑public NBA information for illegal sports wagers, and another tied to underground poker games with organized crime connections.
As governing bodies continue to monitor and respond to these issues, the Fleury, Janssen, and Richter cases is a reminder of the importance of maintaining integrity on and off the field, reinforcing that accountability and transparency are central to preserving public trust in athletics.
