Ethiopian athletics faces renewed scrutiny after anti-doping authorities sanction two athletes, while Gudaf Tsegay says prohibited medication was prescribed during fertility treatment.
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian athletics has once again found itself at the center of anti-doping discussions after authorities confirmed sanctions against athletes Gudaf Tsegay and Zemenay Ayana for separate anti-doping rule violations.
The decisions were announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Authority (ETH-ADA), with both athletes receiving penalties following investigations into prohibited substances detected during out-of-competition testing.
World champion and former world record holder Gudaf Tsegay was found to have used Letrozole, a substance prohibited at all times under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
According to the AIU, the sample was collected on December 5, 2025. Following a review of the case, the athlete entered into a Case Resolution Agreement with the AIU and WADA, resulting in a four-month suspension running from June 1 through September 30, 2026.
The ruling also requires the disqualification of all results achieved by Tsegay from December 5, 2025, including medals, prize money and other awards obtained during that period.
Following the announcement, Tsegay released a public statement explaining that the medication had been prescribed as part of fertility treatment.
“I took the Letrozole supplement to improve my fertility, as prescribed by my doctor,” Tsegay said.
The Ethiopian star also revealed that she is currently pregnant and hopes to return to competition after giving birth.
“Currently, my pregnancy is progressing perfectly, and I hope to return to sports as soon as my baby is born,” she said, while thanking supporters and acknowledging the handling of the case by the AIU.
The AIU indicated that the violation was connected to a medical treatment matter, a factor that contributed to the resolution agreement reached between the parties.
In a separate case, Ethiopian distance runner Zemenay Ayana received a four-year ban after testing positive for Testosterone, which falls under the category of anabolic androgenic steroids prohibited in sport.
ETH-ADA said the sample was collected during an out-of-competition test on May 4, 2025. Following an investigation, the authority concluded that an anti-doping rule violation had occurred.
As a result, Ayana has been declared ineligible to compete from January 21, 2026, until January 22, 2030.
In addition to the suspension, all results recorded by the athlete from May 4, 2025, onward have been annulled, including medals, rankings, prize money and any other competitive rewards earned during the period.
The two cases have renewed attention on Ethiopia’s fight against doping at a time when the country continues to maintain its status as one of the world’s leading athletics nations.
In its statement, ETH-ADA reiterated that athletes remain responsible for substances found in their bodies under the principle of strict liability and warned athletes, coaches and support personnel against the use of prohibited substances.
The authority added that anti-doping education, testing and monitoring programs will continue to be strengthened in order to protect clean sport and preserve Ethiopia’s reputation on the international stage.
