Tokyo Marathon Winner Ruti Aga Banned Six Years for Doping and Forgery
Ethiopian runner Ruti Aga, winner of the 2019 Tokyo Marathon, has received a six-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit for doping and submitting forged medical documents.
Tokyo Marathon Champion Banned for Six Years
A remarkable doping scandal has shaken the athletics world as Ethiopian runner Ruti Aga, the 2019 Tokyo Marathon champion, received a six-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The suspension follows a positive drug test and an elaborate, failed attempt to deceive investigators using a fabricated medical document and a fake doctor.
The 32-year-old athlete, who has also reached podiums in the Berlin and New York marathons, failed a drug test on March 15 after winning the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in China. Traces of methylprednisolone, a prohibited glucocorticoid substance under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations, were detected in her system.
Elaborate Deception and Fake Medical Records
During the investigation, Aga claimed the substance was used to treat a knee injury. However, the AIU stated she provided false information during an April interview and later submitted a fraudulent medical document on May 4 to justify the prescription.
The prescription was supposedly issued by a non-existent clinic, and the person who signed it as a physician turned out to be Aga's relative without a medical license using an old prescription pad.
Subsequent investigations by the AIU completely dismantled this defense, as the clinic linked to the pad confirmed the individual was never employed there and the document was entirely forged.
Severe Career Consequences
Ultimately, the AIU imposed a strict six-year suspension: two years for the positive doping test and an additional four years for forgery and obstruction of justice. For an elite runner with a decorated career, this ruling delivers a devastating blow.
