French 1,500m specialist, Aurore Fleury was suspended for six months for having successfully bet on her friend’s victory in the 3,000m steeplechase.
French 1,500m specialist Aurore Fleury was suspended for six months for having successfully bet in June 2024 on the victory of her friend Alice Finot in the 3,000m steeplechase of the European Athletics Championships, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Thursday. “The AIU has suspended Aurore Fleury for six months from September 1, 2025 for violating the World Athletics integrity code of conduct and rules relating to the manipulation of sports competitions”wrote the AIU on X, a body more accustomed to sanctioning violations of anti-doping rules.
As detailed by the AIU in its decision published Thursday, Aurore Fleury, a 1,500m specialist who has several selections to her credit, the last in 2022, bet on the victory of her friend Alice Finot in the final of the 3,000m steeplechase of the European Athletics Championships in June 2024. Finot had actually won the race. “The athlete bet 2,000 euros on his teammate, and won 5,000 euros”notes the IAU. However, according to the regulations of the International Athletics Federation, “any form of betting linked to an athletics event or competition” is prohibited and this, “the person concerned may or may not participate directly in the event or competition in question.”
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According to the AIU decision published Thursday, Aurore Fleury admitted to having bet during these European Championships but claimed that she was not aware that it was a violation of the rules “to the extent that she no longer participated in competitions as a member of the French team since August 2022”. The AIU, however, considered that there was indeed an infringement “unrelated to doping” and therefore suspended the athlete for six months, until March 1, 2026. Aurore Fleury was also fined 3,000 euros “corresponding to the profits made through betting”, “to be donated to a charity of one’s choice”. She will also have to follow online training from the IOC regarding the prevention of manipulation of competitions.
French 1,500m champion in 2021, Aurore Fleury, 32, was twice European vice-champion in cross-country with her teammates in the mixed relay (2019, 2021). Her last selection dates back to the Mediterranean Games in June 2022, where she was titled in the 1,500m.
