Ethiopian marathoner Ruti Aga receives six-year ban over fake prescription

Ethiopian marathon runner Ruti Aga has been banned for six years after anti-doping investigators found she submitted a fake prescription to explain a failed drug test.

• Aga tested positive for the banned substance methylprednisolone after winning a half-marathon in China in March.
• The AIU found the prescription came from a nonexistent clinic and was signed by a family member who was not a registered doctor.
• Aga said a doctor in Ethiopia gave her the substance to treat knee pain.
• The ban includes two years for the substance use and four for tampering, issued without a hearing after she failed to respond to charges.