Lausanne, Switzerland - Ethiopian middle-distance runner Diribe Welteji has been disqualified from the world track championships just a day before her scheduled race, due to an ongoing legal dispute involving an alleged missed drug test.
Welteji, who claimed the silver medal in the 1,500 meters at the previous world championships in 2023, was poised to compete in the 1,500-meter heats on Saturday. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has now ruled her "ineligible."
The allegations against Welteji stem from an incident in May, where she was accused of refusing to provide a sample for a doping test "without any justification," as stated by CAS.
Though an Ethiopian anti-doping panel cleared her last month, the Athletics Integrity Unit, responsible for handling doping cases for World Athletics, appealed the decision to CAS on Thursday. They requested her suspension until the case reaches a resolution, a request which has now been approved.
The 23-year-old Ethiopian was anticipated to be a strong medal contender in Tokyo, holding the second position in the world rankings for the 1,500 meters. She also recently secured a silver medal at the world indoor championships this year.
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