THE AFL'S head of competition integrity, Brett Clothier, is leaving the League after more than eight years to take up a key position in international athletics.

Clothier, who established the AFL's integrity unit, has been announced as the inaugural head of the Independent Athletics Integrity Unit and will be based in Monaco, overseeing the sport's international integrity measures.

"Athletics is one of the few genuinely global sports … it has an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate leadership on integrity issues and to share those with other sports and federations," Clothier said.  

"I am excited by the opportunity I have been given to lead the AIU in rebuilding athlete and fan confidence in how we manage threats to the sport.

"I look forward to working with athletes and all members of the athletics community."

The AFL's general manager of legal, integrity and compliance, Andrew Dillon, said Clothier had been instrumental in building the League's integrity, security and investigations capacity.  

Clothier's exit follows the announcement that general manager of media and broadcasting, Peter Campbell, is leaving the AFL after four years to join Fox Sports as chief commercial officer.