‘My Bloodline Depending on Me’- Fred Kerley Defends Doping Test Whereabouts, Decision to Join Enhanced Games

Reigning 100m Olympic bronze medalist Fred Kerley has defended his decision to sign up for the Enhanced games, further explaining plans to contest the decision by the World Anti Doping Agency Athletics Integrity Unit ( WADA AIU) to provisionally suspend him over testing whereabouts.

The Enhanced Games -- a startup Olympic-style sports event promising no drug testing -- announced Kerley's participation on social media Wednesday.

"This now gives me the opportunity to dedicate all my energy to pushing my limits and becoming the fastest human to ever live," Kerley said in a statement.

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Kerley is  a two-time Olympic medalist in the 100 meters, winning silver in Tokyo 2021 and a bronze in Paris last year.

Kerley's lawyers said in August, when he provisional suspension was announced, that he would look to contest the whereabouts failures.

Speaking on the Night Cap podcast hosted by American Football legends Shanon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Kerley explained why he would be contesting the verdict.

“I’m still contesting. I did nothing wrong, and my team is still fighting for that,” Kerley said, maintaining his usual defiant tone.

When asked about his decision to join the Enhanced Games, Kerley explained the rationale behind the move.

“Signing up allows me to make money and protect my future. Equity and ownership are everything for me.

“ They gave me ownership, and a lot of track athletes don’t have anything to show for their careers after retiring. I’ve been to two Olympics and been a world champion. I have a family to provide for, and this ensures I can do that,” he said.

Kerley’s comments highlight the financial pressures that elite track and field athletes often face and underscore his focus on long-term security for himself and his family. 

Kerley, who hails from a humble background in Texas that saw him raised by his aunt after being abandoned by his parents as a child, believes he is at a stage in his career where he wants to set his family up for a long future long after his career is over.

"I’ve never had a regular job. All I know is my feats on the track. No one is going to tell me how to make money or protect my family. 

“My bloodline depends on me. I’m the first to make it out, and my job now is to continue generating wealth. If I make $100 million, my goal is to keep making $100 million every year. Everything I do is to protect my family and my future."

By joining the Enhanced Games, Kerley has positioned himself in a new, controversial arena where traditional anti-doping rules no longer apply, signaling a bold, if contentious, next chapter in his career.