Ethiopian marathoner Ruti Aga banned for six years for Anti doping rule violation

Former Tokyo Marathon champion Ruti Aga has been banned for six years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for committing Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) involving the Presence and Use of the prohibited substance Methylprednisolone, as well as Tampering.

The 32-year-old Ethiopian violated Anti-Doping Rules 2.1 and 2.2, relating to the presence and use of a Prohibited Substance after returning a positive test result at the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in China on 15 March 2026, a race she won.

Methylprednisolone is classified as a Class S9 substance (Glucocorticoids) on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List and is prohibited in-competition.

She also breached Anti-Doping Rule 2.5 regarding “Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control”, after attempting to mislead the investigation by providing false information in an interview with AIU representatives on 21 April 2026 and then producing a “forged/manipulated document” on 4 May 2026 that purported to verify a prescription for Methylprednisolone while as an outpatient of a medical facility.

Aga, who was ranked 11th in the world at the time of her positive test, is an elite marathon runner, having won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019 and recording four top-three finishes at the World Marathon Majors.

She attributed her positive test to treatment for a knee injury, submitting a prescription from a clinic that did not exist, issued by a ‘doctor’ who turned out to be a family member with no medical registration with the relevant authority.

When questioned, the family member claimed to have used an old prescription pad from a former workplace. But that clinic confirmed the individual had never worked there and the prescription was not theirs.

The AIU’s investigation, supported by the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Authority, established that the document was forged.

Aga received a two year sanction for the Presence/Use of a Specified Substance and four years for Tampering.

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