Ruti Aga Receives Six-Year Ban for Doping Violation

Ethiopian marathon runner Ruti Aga has been banned for six years following her attempt to justify a positive test for a banned substance with a fraudulent prescription from a non-existent clinic.

Aga, who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019, tested positive for methylprednisolone after a half marathon in China in March. Initially, she received a two-year ban for the steroid, which is classified as performance-enhancing by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The additional four-year ban was imposed for tampering with evidence and misleading investigators. The Athletics Integrity Unit reported that the prescription was issued by a family member posing as a doctor, who had no medical registration. The clinic in question confirmed that the individual had never worked there, further invalidating the prescription.