Ethiopian middle-distance runner DiribeWelteji, a leading medal contender for the 1500m event, has been banned from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The decision, announced on September 12, 2025, follows an alleged anti-doping rule violation.
The ban stems from a charge filed by the Ethiopian National Anti-Doping Office (ETH-NADO) on May 21, 2025, after Welteji allegedly refused to provide a sample for an out-of-competition doping control. While a subsequent hearing before an ETH-NADO panel on August 12 found that she had not committed a violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) took the case to CAS.
The AIU appealed the ETH-NADO panel’s decision on September 9, 2025, specifically requesting provisional measures to prevent Welteji from competing. “The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld a request for provisional measures by World Athletics (WA) against the Ethiopian National Anti-Doping Office (ETH-NADO) and middle-distance runner DiribeWeltejiKejelcha (Ethiopia) concerning an alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV),” the CAS document stated.
With the CAS ruling, Welteji, who holds the world’s second-fastest time in the 1500m, is declared temporarily ineligible and suspended for the duration of the arbitration procedure.
The case is not yet closed. The parties are now in the process of exchanging written proceedings, and a full hearing is to be scheduled. “Proceedings whilst ongoing are confidential and CAS is unable to provide additional information until the alleged ADRV is further examined,” the court added, indicating that the final verdict on the anti-doping charge is pending.
