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Runner Banned for Fake Prescription Hoax
22 Oct
Summary
- Ruti Aga received a six-year ban for doping violations.
- A fake prescription was submitted to explain a failed drug test.
- Investigators found the clinic named on the document did not exist.
Ethiopian runner Ruti Aga, a celebrated marathoner, has received a six-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for doping violations. The ban was issued after Aga tested positive for the banned substance methylprednisolone following a half-marathon in China in March.
To explain the positive test, Aga presented a prescription she claimed was given by a doctor in Ethiopia for knee pain. However, the AIU's investigation revealed that the clinic named on the document was non-existent. Furthermore, the prescription was purportedly signed by a family member who is not a registered medical practitioner.
As Aga failed to respond to the charges concerning methylprednisolone use and tampering with the anti-doping process, the AIU imposed the six-year ban without a hearing. This sentence comprises two years for the substance use and an additional four years for the attempt to obstruct the investigation.
