Athletics New Zealand has been asked to explain by the Athletics Integrity Unit why drug testing in the country was so much reduced last year ©Athletics New Zealand

Athletics New Zealand was asked to explain insufficient drug testing on its athletes last year by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), it has been revealed.

Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ), the county's National Anti-Doping, conducted less than half its usual tests in all sports before the World Athletics Championships in Oregon because of COVID-19 restrictions, according to Athletics New Zealand.

The national governing body claimed it had developed a plan with DFSNZ for testing of New Zealand's hopefuls for this year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest that had been accepted by the AIU.

"The explanation for the reduced level of testing leading up to the 2022 World Championships was shared with, and accepted by, the AIU," Athletics New Zealand added, as reported by Reuters.

DFSNZ chief executive Nick Paterson claimed the testing levels had recovered from the "far-reaching impacts" of the pandemic, and there would be "no sanctions for having lower than expected testing numbers".

"Overall DFSNZ testing numbers for the year to June 30 2022 were around 50 per cent of what we would normally complete in a year," he told Reuters.

"However, since July 1 2022 our testing numbers are strong once more and in fact for the year to June 30 2023 (our financial year) we expect to have collected more samples in a 12-month period than any prior period in our history."

Shot putter Tom Walsh won one of New Zealand's two Commonwealth Games gold medals in athletics at Birmingham 2022 ©Getty Images
Shot putter Tom Walsh won one of New Zealand's two Commonwealth Games gold medals in athletics at Birmingham 2022 ©Getty Images

New Zealand-based publication Stuff has reported that discussions are still to be held on whether Athletics New Zealand's categorisation by the AIU will be revised.

It is currently listed as category B.

Athletes from the seven category A nations - Belarus, Bahrain, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Ukraine - are subject to additional monitoring.

The AIU declined to comment on the New Zealand situation.

World Athletics' anti-doping rules require National Federations to maintain an "effective, intelligent and proportionate annual testing plan", including adequate testing for national team athletes likely to be considered for selection at the World Championships or Olympics.

New Zealand failed to win a medal at last year's World Athletics Championships in Oregon but won six at the Commonwealth Games, including golds for Hamish Kerr and Tom Walsh in the men's high jump and shot put, respecitvely.