Diribe Welteji (2nd from left) is not allowed to compete in the World Cup. © APA/afp / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Doping trouble even before the start of the World Cup

Ethiopian medal contender Diribe Welteji is not allowed to compete at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

September 12, 2025

From: dpa/sn

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspended the 2023 World Championship runner-up for a possible anti-doping rule violation. The 23-year-old allegedly refused to provide a sample in May without a plausible reason.

Welteji was originally scheduled to compete in the 1.500-meter heats at the World Championships on Saturday. However, the Independent Integrity Commission of the International Athletics Union (AIU) filed an appeal with CAS against a decision by Ethiopia's national anti-doping authority. It had acquitted the Olympic fourth-place finisher on August 27, finding no violation. The third-place finisher in the world rankings is now suspended pending the CAS proceedings.