Detroit Free Press Marathon introduces new anti-doping policy for 2023

On Dec. 29, one of the most popular U.S. destination races for Canadian marathoners, the Detroit Free Press Marathon, announced a new anti-doping policy to prevent previous dopers from collecting prize money. In October, the race received some slack online after Mary (Akor) Beasley won the marathon, seven years after she served a two-year doping ban under her previous name, Mary Akor.

Akor frequently runs marathons across North America that do not test podium finishers, and that offer significant prize money. In October, she took home USD $6,000 as the top female finisher in Detroit. Although Akor explained her positive test in a Detroit Free Press article, the race received comments on social media about testing podium finishers and not allowing elites who have previously received a doping sanction to compete.

The Detroit Free Press Marathon is implementing a new anti-doping policy as it opens registration for the 2023 marathon in October. “The change is made to establish structure and to prevent substance abuse among participants at our annual race,” said Aaron Velthoven, vice president of the marathon. “This new policy will help our organizers uphold the event’s key values.”

She won $6000 today and said in today’s Free Press interview “I don’t think I have ever been to Detroit before” She finished 2nd in 2008 under her previous name and is well aware that there is no drug testing.

— hansonsrun (@hansonsrun) October 16, 2022

“This was a priority for us in our offseason—to ensure fairness and integrity at the top of our race,” Velthoven said to the Detroit Free Press.

Under the new policy, winners will have to meet several requirements to be eligible for prize money:

• They may not currently be serving a suspension for use of a prohibited substance by the USADA or WADA (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and World Anti-Doping Agency).
• They may not ever have been suspended for use of a prohibited substance by the USADA or WADA.
• They may not be represented by a coach who has had two or more athletes who have received doping suspensions in the previous four years (from the date of the current race) by USADA or WADA.
• They must consent to random drug testing according to the standards and procedures of USATF, USADA, and WADA.

All elite and open registrants will be asked to acknowledge and agree to the new policy during registration. 

“We felt that there were too many questions for some previous prize winners with our large-scale race, and we needed a proper anti-doping policy in place to deter the wrong type of athlete from coming to our race,” said Velthoven. The new policy means Akor will not be welcome at the 2023 marathon.

Velthoven expects an increase in participants for the 2023 marathon as the event plans to ease the COVID-19 restrictions. The 46th annual Free Press Marathon will take place on Oct. 15, 2023.