In February 2022 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics reported anti-doping rule violations against the Ethiopian Athlete Getaye Fisseha Gelaw after his samples - provided in September and October 2021 - tested positive for the prohibited substance Recombinant Erythropoietin (rhEPO). After notification a provisional suspension was ordered.
In his submissions the Athlete accepted the test results and denied the intentional use of the substance. He explained that due to his knee injury in September 2021 he had used painkillers as advised and injected by his colleagues. He asserted that he was unaware what kind of substance was injected and could not provide further details about the purchase of the substance and about his colleagues.
The AIU concludes that the Athlete had committed multiple anti-doping rule violations while he had admitted to being injected on three occasion and that aggravating circumstances had been established.
Hereafter the Athlete failed to respond to the communications of the AIU. Because the Athlete failed to respond to the charge within the set deadline the AIU deems that the Athlete has admitted the anti-doping rule violations, waived his right for a hearing and accepted the consequences thereupon.
Therefore the AIU decides on 12 May 2022 to impose a 6 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. 4 February 2022.