Just a few hours after athletics experienced another positive seismic movement, its protagonist, Gudaf Tsegay, has issued a statement in which he offers his explanations about the context in which this irregular doping control occurred.
Thus, the Ethiopian, bronze in the 5,000 meters in Tokyo 2020 and double world champion, ensures that its positive for a metabolite of letrozole, which appears on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, was due to taking “this supplement to improve my fertility, as prescribed by my doctor. My pregnancy is currently progressing perfectly and I hope to return to sport as soon as my baby is born.”
I took this letrozole supplement to improve my fertility, as prescribed by my doctor. My pregnancy is currently progressing perfectly.
As soon as she learned of the positive result, the athlete explained why she had been prescribed Letrozole and presented documents and medical evidence that supported it. World Athletics confirmed that its treatment met WADA’s international standard requirements for therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs), but the World Anti-Doping Agency rejected its retroactive concession, hence the agreement on the four-month sanction.
The athlete’s disqualification period, which applies retroactively to June 1, will be extended until September 30. Tsegay ended the statement by thanking “all the fans for their love. I also appreciate the understanding and support that the AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit) has shown me.”
