Ethiopian woman refuses doping test: Two-year ban

Ethiopian middle-distance runner Diribe Welteji has been banned for almost two years for violating anti-doping regulations.

February 26, 2026

From: dpa

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld an appeal by World Athletics against the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Agency and the silver medalist in the 1.500 meters at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. The athlete was therefore banned retroactively from July 8, 2025, to June 30, 2027.

According to reports, Welteji refused to submit to a doping test in February of last year without a plausible reason. She was acquitted by Ethiopia's national anti-doping agency. World Athletics subsequently appealed. The 23-year-old was suspended for the duration of the CAS proceedings one day before her 1.500-meter heat at the World Championships in Tokyo last September.

A negligent act

According to CAS, Welteji failed to provide a convincing explanation for refusing to provide a sample. The Court of Arbitration for Sport did not consider her actions intentional, but rather negligent. The world governing body had requested a four-year ban. All of the athlete's competition results since February 25, 2025, will be annulled.

Keywords Track & Field doping barrier Diribe Welteji