Diribe Welteji, the brilliant Ethiopian athlete who won the silver medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, has been handed a two-year ban following a dispute involving a doping test sample.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based in Lausanne, Switzerland, issued a statement on Thursday ruling that the athlete was found “negligent” for failing to cooperate with professionals who arrived to conduct a test last year.
The incident occurred in February 2025. When doping control officers arrived at the athlete’s residence, her husband reportedly stated she was “asleep.” Conflicting witness testimonies were given regarding the events that followed. CAS ultimately ruled that an athlete must understand their obligation to cooperate, regardless of the timing of the visit.
World Athletics initially sought a four-year ban; however, the court reduced the sentence to two years after accepting the defense that the violation was “not intentional.”
The suspension is set to end in June 2027. At that time, Welteji will be at an age and performance level that likely allows her to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, signaling a strong possibility for her return to the track.
