The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after Ethiopia’s Anti-Doping Authority cleared Diribe Welteji of a violation related to refusing or failing to submit to sample collection.

Here's what you need to know:

A timeline of the events:

Aug 27: Ethiopian panel cleared Welteji of refusal or failure to submit to an anti-doping sample collection.

Sept 1: AIU received the case file.

Sept 8: AIU filed an appeal with CAS.

Sept 13: Women’s 1500m heats at World Championships in Tokyo.

A decision is expected from CAS before Saturday's races.

Welteji has not competed since running a personal best of 3:51.44 for second place in the 1500m at the Prefontaine Classic behind Faith Kipyegon's 3:48.68 world record. Weleteji is No. 8 on the all-time 1500m list. Welteji was 4th at the Paris Olympics last year and has a silver medal in the 1500m from the 2023 World Championships.

Welteji is entered in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships, which begin Saturday, Sept 13. The AIU has asked CAS to provisionally suspend her until the appeal is decided.

A CAS Division President will rule on the provisional suspension before Saturday to determine whether Welteji can compete in Tokyo.

How This Impacts the 1500m

Here's a quick look at the fastest 1500m runners of the year...

1️⃣ Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 - 3:48.68 WR
(Competing in the 1500m and 5000m)

2️⃣ Gudaf Tsegay 🇪🇹 – 3:50.62
(Not competing in the 1500m, running the 5000m and 10,000m)

3️⃣ Diribe Welteji 🇪🇹 – 3:51.44
(A CAS Division President will rule on the provisional suspension before Saturday to determine whether Welteji can compete in Tokyo.)

4️⃣ Jess Hull 🇦🇺 – 3:52.67
(Competing in the 1500m and 800m)

5️⃣ Beatrice Chebet 🇰🇪 – 3:54.73
(Not competing in the 1500m, running the 5000m and 10,000m)

6️⃣ Georgia Hunter-Bell 🇬🇧 – 3:54.76
(Not competing in the 1500m, running the 800m)

7️⃣ Nikki Hiltz 🇺🇸 – 3:55.94
(Competing in the 1500m)

2025 has been a good year for Welteji. They earned a silver medal in the 1500m at the World Indoor Championships and then claimed two of the Grand Slam titles, which would earn her $200,000 in prize money (if the league is able to resolve its financial troubles) and then clocked a 3:51.44 personal best at the Prefontaine Classic.

If Welteji is unable to compete, four of the six athletes ahead of Hiltz on the season's list will be out for the World Championships and makes them the third-fastest athlete in the field. This bodes well for their medal hopes. Hiltz is looking to become just the fifth American to medal in the women's 1500m at the World Championships.