Athletics Under Scrutiny: Triumphs and Tribulations

The world of athletics experienced a year of extraordinary performances and persistent doping scandals. While new records were set during the third world championships in four years, controversies regarding doping offenses, particularly involving Kenyan athletes, tainted the sport's progress. American athletes faced scrutiny amid ongoing doping challenges.

In a year marked by contrasting extremes, athletics offered both dazzling achievements and significant controversy. The sport's global appeal was on full display during the 20th World Championships held in Tokyo, where Sweden's Mondo Duplantis and the U.S.'s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shone brilliantly, setting new records and earning top athlete honors.

However, the shadow of doping continued to loom large, particularly for Kenyan athletes, who have dominated the leaderboards for doping violations since the Athletics Integrity Unit's inception in 2017. This dual narrative of groundbreaking performances marred by doping scandals highlights the ongoing struggle to maintain the sport's integrity.

Despite remarkable accomplishments on the track, such as Kenya's Faith Kipyegon's fourth 1,500m world title and Ruth Chepngetich's controversial marathon world record, athletics faces scrutiny. The U.S., too, battled doping issues, as leading athletes such as Fred Kerley faced significant suspensions, sparking debates about doping's impact on the sport.

(With inputs from agencies.)