Canadian Pole Vaulter Alysha Newman Provisionally Suspended for Whereabouts Failures

Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for 'whereabouts failures'. ## Suspension for Whereabouts Failures To be suspended for whereabouts failures, an athlete must miss three doping tests within a 12-month period. The AIU announced that Newman, an Olympic bronze medalist, has been provisionally suspended pending a final decision. Whereabouts failures occur when an athlete is not available for drug testing at the location they have specified. This is an important part of the anti-doping system, as it allows testing to be conducted without prior notice to the athlete. Newman, 28, won bronze in the pole vault at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is considered one of Canada's top track and field athletes. The provisional suspension means she is temporarily banned from competition while the case is investigated further. The AIU stated that a final decision on Newman's case will be made in due course. In the meantime, she is unable to compete or train with the Canadian national team.