Ethiopian middle-distance runner Diribe Weltegi has been banned for two years, according to a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Veltejji last competed at the Diamond League in Eugene in July 2025, where she won silver in the 1500m. The runner was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation after failing to provide a sample for an out-of-competition doping test in February 2025.
In late May 2025, Weltej was charged with a violation, while in August the Ethiopian Anti-Doping Committee found the athlete not guilty. World Athletics then appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where it sought a four-year ban, but this decision was ultimately rejected.
Instead, CAS granted World Athletics' request to suspend Weltej from the 2025 World Championships pending the arbitration proceedings. As a result, the athlete did not compete at the World Championships, which she had planned to participate in after winning silver in the 1500m. At the 2023 World Championships, the Ethiopian won her debut silver medal in the competition, losing only to three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon. at the 2023 World Championships.
In the end, CAS made a decision – the runner was disqualified for two years, starting from July 8, 2025. Her results, starting from February 25, 2025, were also annulled, including the silver medal in the 1500 meters at the World Indoor Championships.
In addition, Weltej's other results were also annulled, including the “silver” in the 800 m and the “gold” in the 1500 m at the Athletics Grand Slam in Kingston, the bronze and gold medals in the 1500 m in Miami and Philadelphia, the victory in the 800 m in Philadelphia and the “silver” at the Diamond League stage in Eugene.
The decision states that the athletes have been given credit for a seven-day period of provisional ineligibility served in March 2025. The two-year suspension period begins on July 8, 2025, and ends on June 30, 2027.
Diribe Weltejji specializes in the 800 and 1500 m. The runner became the 2023 world champion in the one-mile road race and won the 2022 Diamond League stage in Silesia in the 1500 m.