Six-year ban for top marathon runner who submitted fake prescription
Top marathon runner Ruti Aga has been banned for six years after anti-doping investigators found she submitted a fake prescription to explain a failed drug test.
The Ethiopian athlete tested positive for the banned substance methylprednisolone after winning a half-marathon in China in March, the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Thursday. Aga, 32, had claimed she was given the substance by a doctor in Ethiopia to treat knee pain.
Fake prescription details
However, the AIU discovered that the clinic named on the prescription did not exist and that the document had been signed by a family member who was not a registered doctor. This constitutes tampering with the anti-doping process.
After that, Aga failed to respond to charges for the use of methylprednisolone and 'tampering' with the anti-doping process, the AIU added, meaning the six-year ban was issued without a hearing.
Career achievements
Aga's impressive career includes winning the Tokyo marathon in 2019 and reaching the podium at the Berlin and New York marathons. The six-year ban effectively ends her competitive running career at the highest level.
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