Former world champion Gudaf Tsegay has been handed a four-month doping ban after admitting the presence of a prohibited substance in an out-of-competition test, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Friday.
The 29-year-old Ethiopian, who won bronze in the women’s 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics before claiming world titles over 5,000m and 10,000m, tested positive for a metabolite of Letrozole in December 2025.
Letrozole, which is listed under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited substances list as an aromatase inhibitor, is commonly used to lower estrogen levels and is prescribed in the treatment of certain medical conditions, including breast cancer.
According to the AIU, Tsegay responded promptly after being notified of the adverse analytical finding in January, explaining that she had been prescribed Letrozole to treat a diagnosed medical condition and providing supporting medical documentation.
In February, Tsegay applied for a Therapeutic Use Exemption, with World Athletics subsequently determining that her treatment met WADA’s international standards for such exemptions.
