Former World Champion Gudaf Tsegay Banned for Four Months
Decorated two-time former World champion and Olympic medallist Gudaf Tsegay has been handed a four-month ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) under a Case Resolution Agreement, following her admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence of a metabolite of Letrozole.
The 29-year-old Ethiopian was sanctioned under Rule 2.1 of the Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), relating to the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites in an athlete’s sample, and Rule 2.2, which covers the use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method.
Her period of ineligibility runs from 1 June 2026, the date she accepted the Case Resolution Agreement, until 30 September 2026.
Tsegay’s case stems from an out-of-competition test conducted on 5 December 2025, which returned a positive result for a metabolite of Letrozole, a specified prohibited substance banned at all times under the WADA 2025 Prohibited List in the category of S4.1 Aromatase Inhibitors.
She was notified of the potential violation by the AIU on 26 January 2026 and responded the following day, explaining that she had been prescribed Letrozole to treat a diagnosed medical condition. Supporting medical documents and evidence were submitted.
On 17 February 2026, Tsegay filed a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application with the World Athletics Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (WATUEC), which confirmed that her treatment met the requirements of Article 4.2 of WADA’s International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE).
Article 4.2 allows a TUE if the athlete demonstrates that the prohibited substance is necessary to treat a diagnosed medical condition, that no reasonable permitted alternative exists, and that the use of the substance will not enhance performance beyond restoring normal health.
Although the conditions for a TUE were met, WADA rejected an application to exceptionally grant a retroactive TUE under Article 4.3 ISTUE. As a result, Tsegay entered into a Case Resolution Agreement with the AIU and WADA.
A four-month ban was deemed appropriate under Rule 10.6.1(a) ADR, which applies in cases of no significant fault or negligence.
The sanction length reflected her degree of fault, her prompt admission of the violation, and the fact that she demonstrated the presence of Letrozole would have qualified for a TUE had it been requested in advance.
