The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is an independent, Monaco-based institution established by World Athletics (formerly the IAAF) to manage all integrity issues in the sport. It was officially launched in April 2017, making athletics the first sport internationally to delegate complete authority for its integrity programs to an independent body. The AIU was created to solve the problem of a lack of independent oversight, taking over the responsibilities of the former IAAF anti-doping department and the functions of the IAAF Ethics Board.
The AIU operates under rules agreed by the World Athletics Council, including the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules and the World Athletics Integrity Code of Conduct. Its mechanism involves a full range of activities, including education, intelligence gathering, investigations, and testing. It conducts in-competition and out-of-competition blood and urine testing, requiring athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) to meet whereabouts requirements for random checks. The AIU's remit extends beyond doping to include non-doping violations like age manipulation, bribery, corruption, manipulation of competition results, and breaches of betting rules. Charges are brought before the international, 47-member Disciplinary Tribunal, and decisions can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The AIU connects directly to World Athletics, from which it is fully separated and reports through its own Board. It also fulfills obligations as a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code and collaborates with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Recently, the AIU's rules were approved by the World Athletics Council on August 14, 2023. In 2023, the AIU also announced new efforts to establish a "blood steroid passport" to enhance detection of performance-enhancing substances.