The former 5000m and 10,000m world champion will miss the 2026 Olympics.
Ethiopian endurance runner Gudaf Tsegai was banned for four months after testing positive for letrozole, but successfully and somewhat belatedly on the grounds that he was using it to treat a genuine medical condition.
The 29-year-old, who won world titles in the 5,000m and 10,000m and world records in the 5,000m and indoor mile, was able to produce medical documents to support her case, leading to a four-month ban instead of a longer sentence.
Letrozole reduces the level of estrogen in the body.
The Athletics Integrity Unit said Tsega was banned “under a Case Resolution Agreement for admitting anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) for the presence of a metabolite of letrozole.”
AIU adds: “The 29-year-old Ethiopian was sanctioned under Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Rule 2.1, which deals with the presence of a Prohibited Substance or its metabolites or markers in an Athlete’s Sample, and Rule 2.2, which deals with Use or Attempted Use. Prohibited method.
“Tsega’s period of ineligibility will run from June 1, the date the athlete accepted the Settlement Agreement, through September 30, 2026.”
AIU adds: “Following an out-of-competition test on December 5 last year, Tsegai tested positive for a metabolite of Letrozole, a Prohibited Substance that has always been banned under the WADA 2025 Prohibited List S4.1 S4.1 Potential Aromatase A Inhibitor. on January 26, 2026 and responded a day later explaining that he had been prescribed Letrozole to treat a diagnosed medical condition.
“On February 17, 2026, Tsegai submitted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application to the Athletics Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (WATUEC), which subsequently confirmed that the athlete’s treatment met the requirements of Article 4.2 of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADAeuIS) International Use Standard.
“Pursuant to Article 4.2, a TUE is granted if the Athlete demonstrates that the Prohibited Substance is necessary for the treatment of a diagnosed medical condition; there is no reasonably permissible therapeutic alternative, and therapeutic use of the Prohibited Substance will not result in any additional efficacy improvement beyond the return to normal health after treatment.
“Although the terms of the TUE under Article 4.2 have been met, the application to WADA to retroactively apply Article 4.3 of the ISTUE in this case has been denied. Consequently, Tsegai entered into a settlement agreement with the AIU and WADA and a four-month ban was deemed appropriate under Rule 10.6 (Sgliant). The length of the sanction was based on the degree of culpability of Tsega, the prompt adoption of the ADRV and the fact that he demonstrated that the presence of a metabolite of Letrozole in his sample met the criteria of Article 4.2, meaning that he would have received a TUE if it had been requested in advance.”
