Former world champion Gudaf Tsegay has been handed a four-month doping ban after admitting the presence of a prohibited substance in an out-of-competition test, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Friday.
The 29-year-old Ethiopian, who won bronze in the women’s 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics before claiming world titles over 5,000m and 10,000m, tested positive for a metabolite of Letrozole in December 2025.
Letrozole, which is listed under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited substances list as an aromatase inhibitor, is commonly used to lower estrogen levels and is prescribed in the treatment of certain medical conditions, including breast cancer.
According to the AIU, Tsegay responded promptly after being notified of the adverse analytical finding in January, explaining that she had been prescribed Letrozole to treat a diagnosed medical condition and providing supporting medical documentation.
In February, Tsegay applied for a Therapeutic Use Exemption, with World Athletics subsequently determining that her treatment met WADA’s international standards for such exemptions.
However, WADA rejected her request for a retroactive TUE, leading to an anti-doping rule violation. Tsegay later entered into a case resolution agreement with WADA and the AIU.
In a statement, the AIU said a four-month suspension was “considered appropriate” under rules relating to no significant fault or negligence by an athlete.
The body added that the sanction reflected “the athlete’s degree of fault, her prompt admission of the violation, the fact that the presence of Letrozole met WADA’s international standards on TUEs and the recognition she would have been granted a TUE if it had been requested in advance.”
Tsegay’s period of ineligibility has been backdated to June 1 and will run until September 30.
The suspension sidelines one of Ethiopia’s most accomplished distance runners, although the reduced sanction reflects anti-doping authorities’ acceptance that the substance was used for a legitimate medical purpose and that she likely would have been granted permission to use it had the proper exemption process been completed beforehand.
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