7 Months After No Update From AIU, 19-Year-Old Track Champion’s Hope Once Again Gets Crushed

In the athletic realm, especially the track and field, several cases of doping are coming to light, which are not turning in favor of the athletes. Amid Spaniard Mo Katir’s 2-year ban news, there’s Issam Asinga who is still in the dark. Since he was caught for the banned substance GW1516, he was provisionally suspended in 2023 after finishing his senior year at Montverde Academy in Florida. But no response from the AIU struck him out of the 18th Spring Break Classic in Puerto Rico.

The X post of Owen M reads, “UPDATE: He’s no longer on the entry lists. 7 months and still no update from the AIU”. As one of the best youth sprinters in the world, the 19-year-old hails from Suriname and represents his home country. Last year, ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Asinga was included in the 100m and 200m roster, when a bolt of lightning struck. Before that incident, he was the master of track, having outclassed speedster Noah Lyles in an April event.

Moreover, in July 2023, at the South American Championships in Brazil, Asinga set a U-20 world record, clocking in at 9.89s. The drug that pulled him down was known to build endurance. But later, when the clinical professionals saw it could cause cancer, they passed it as unsafe. More trouble followed as AIU didn’t give any timeline to proceed with his case. Now, let’s take a look at his illustrious track career.

Track star Issam Asinga’s career

Surinamese athlete Asinga primarily competes in 100m and 200m. His U-20 world record has also etched his name in the annals of Surinamese history. After his birth in the US, the 19-year-old moved to Zambia, his mother’s birthplace. He hails from a family of track and field athletes, where his father still holds the 400m, 800m, and 1500m Surinamese world record. His three Olympic appearances were in 1988, 1992 and 1996.

At the 2023 South American Championships held at São Paulo, the 19-year-old outpaced his rivals to win the 100m and 200m gold. The same year, he secured his name as the Gatorade Florida Boys Track & Field Player of the Year. Now just 135 days away from the Summer Games, Asinga has minimal chances of making his first Olympic team.

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