Ethiopian Marathoner Banned for Blood Doping

Ethiopian runner Tsehay Gemechu has been banned for four years for suspected blood doping, affecting her results and earnings since March 2020. Her achievements, including a runner-up finish at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon and participation in world championships, have been nullified due to blood manipulation evidence.

Ethiopian athlete Tsehay Gemechu, who once finished as runner-up at the Tokyo Marathon, has been handed a four-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit due to suspected blood doping.

The 25-year-old was stripped of her achievements and prize earnings dating back to March 2020. This includes her second-place finish at the prestigious Tokyo race in March 2023, where she clocked a time of just under 2 hours, 17 minutes, placing her 24th on the women's all-time list.

Gemechu, who also earned a fourth-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and competed in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, had suspicious blood values according to her biological passport. An independent tribunal found blood samples from March 2020, April 2022, and May 2022 indicative of doping, leading to her ban until November 2027.

(With inputs from agencies.)