Ethiopian Runner Diribe Welteji Barred From World Championships Over Doping Dispute

Ethiopian middle-distance runner Diribe Welteji, the silver medalist in the 1500 meters at the 2023 world championships, has been barred from competing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo due to a legal dispute over an alleged missed doping test. Initially cleared by an Ethiopian anti-doping panel, the Athletics Integrity Unit appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which granted a provisional suspension pending the outcome of the arbitration. The AIU accused Welteji of refusing to provide a doping sample without justification, but details of the allegations have not been disclosed. Welteji was scheduled to compete in the 1500m heats and is ranked second in the world in this event, making her absence a significant development and increasing the chances for rivals such as Australia's Jessica Hull to claim gold. The ruling from CAS means Welteji is ineligible to compete while the case is resolved, potentially impacting the competition's outcome. This suspension highlights ongoing challenges in anti-doping enforcement and athlete rights at major international events.