Athletics investigators say the Tokyo Marathon winner backed a failed drug test with a prescription from a clinic that does not exist.
Ethiopian long-distance runner Ruti Aga, one of the best-known names in world marathon running, has been banned from competition for six years after anti-doping investigators concluded that she tried to explain away a failed drug test with a forged prescription.
The decision was announced on Thursday by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the independent body that handles doping and integrity cases in track and field, as reported by Daily Guide Network.
What she tested positive for
Aga returned a positive test for methylprednisolone, a banned substance, after winning a half-marathon in China in March. She is 32 years old.
In her defence, the athlete said a doctor in Ethiopia had given her the substance to treat knee pain. But when investigators checked the paperwork, they found that the clinic named on the document did not exist. They also found that the document had been signed by a member of her own family who was not a registered doctor.
Why the ban is so long
The six-year sanction is made up of two separate penalties. Two years were imposed for the use of methylprednisolone itself. A further four years were added for "tampering" with the anti-doping process, which is the offence of interfering with an investigation, for example by producing false documents.
The AIU said Aga did not respond to either charge. Because she failed to answer, the ban was imposed without a hearing taking place.
A serious fall for a top-tier runner
Aga is not a marginal figure in the sport. She won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019 and has finished on the podium at both the Berlin and New York marathons, three of the biggest road races in the world. A six-year ban, starting in her thirties, effectively removes her from elite competition for what would normally be the remainder of a marathon career.
Why this matters for Ghanaian sports followers
East African runners from Ethiopia and Kenya dominate world marathon running, and their races are followed closely across Africa, including in Ghana and among Ghanaians living in the United States who watch the New York and Boston marathons.
The case is also a reminder of how anti-doping rules work. A positive test alone usually attracts a defined sanction. But attempting to cover it up with false evidence is treated as a separate and more serious offence, and in this case it doubled the length of the punishment and then some.
It also underlines a point that applies to athletes everywhere, including Ghanaian competitors preparing for continental and global events: medical treatment must be properly documented and declared, and the paperwork must stand up to independent checking.
The AIU has not indicated that Aga has appealed the decision.