New Details on Abbott WMM & IAAF Drug Testing

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ATHLETICS FEDERATIONS RELEASE DETAILS OF TESTING POOL

AWMM
working in partnership with the IAAF to fund largest private
anti-doping effort to date for elite athletes participating in AWMM
events

LONDON, March 18, 2015 — Abbott
World Marathon Majors (AWMM) is working in partnership with the
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to finance
increased out-of-competition drug testing for elite athletes
participating in AWMM events. This is the largest anti-doping effort to
date by a private athletic organization and will begin this summer.

Elite
athletes who meet the criteria below will be included in the AWMM Elite
Athlete Testing Pool and subject to additional testing. This increased
testing, coordinated by the IAAF, will be an addition to and not replace
current national and international agency and individual AWMM in- and
out-of-competition testing programs.

The following elite athletes will be included in the 2015 AWMM Testing Pool:

1. All athletes who have earned WMM points in 2012-2015.
2. All
   athletes entered into a 2015 AWMM race who are not included in 1, and
   who have run 2:27:00 or better (female) or 2:11:00 or better (male) in any marathon during 2012-2014. If these athletes do not score AWMM points, he/she will be dropped from the pool after the event.
3. All
   athletes making their marathon debut and entered into a 2015 AWMM race
   who have run a half marathon 1:09:00 or better (female) or 1:00:00 or
   better (male).
4. In
   line with the IAAF Anti-Doping Regulations, any other athlete deemed
   fit for inclusion ‰ÛÒ at the combined discretion and decision of the AWMM
   and the IAAF.
5. Entry and exit into and from the AWMM testing pool is fluid and will be updated on a seasonal basis.
6. After the third anniversary of the latest performance earning AWMM points, athletes will leave the pool.  If an athlete officially retires from competition, he or she will leave the pool.
7. All
   athletes will be subject to the same rules, obligations and
   considerations as all others included in the IAAF Registered Testing
   Pool; with a commitment that they be tested on a regular basis, relative
   to their competitive schedule, environment and any other aspects deemed
   pertinent.

All
aspects of the testing program will be coordinated by the IAAF Medical
& Anti-Doping Department, ensuring that collective resources are
maximized and all athletes are subjected to an equally rigorous, bespoke
testing program. The testing pool will be approximately 150 athletes,
and all athletes must participate in the testing in order to be eligible
to receive any AWMM prize money.

AWMM
Race Directors reserve the right to amend the criteria for inclusion in
the AWMM Testing Pool, at any time, in cooperation with the IAAF
Medical and Anti-Doping Departments.

‰ÛÏThe Race Directors of the AWMM are determined to eradicate cheating in our events,‰Û said Nick Bitel, AWMM General Counsel. ‰ÛÏWe
believe that this new testing pool initiative, set up in conjunction
with the IAAF, is a major step forward in achieving our aim.‰Û

About Abbott World Marathon Majors

The
Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) was established in 2006 and is now
comprised of Qualifying Races including the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money
London, BMW BERLIN, Bank of America Chicago, and TCS New York City
Marathons. In the years in which they are run, the Series also includes
the IAAF World Championships and Olympic Marathons. At the conclusion of
each Series cycle, a $1 million prize purse is divided equally between
the top male and female marathoners in the world as determined by points
earned in Qualifying Races. The inaugural 2006-2007 Series was launched
at the 110th Boston Marathon on April 17, 2006, and concluded at the
New York City Marathon on Nov. 4, 2007. The 2013-2014 series, the WMM’s
eighth two-year series, began with the Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 24, 2013,
and concluded at the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 2, 2014. The
first Abbott World Marathon Majors series, titled AWMM Series IX, began
at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon and will conclude after completion of the

2016 Tokyo Marathon.