Oct 22 - Ethiopian marathon runner Ruti Aga, winner of the 2019 Tokyo Marathon, has been given a six-year ban for the presence or use of the prohibited substance methylprednisolone and tampering with evidence, the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Thursday.

The AIU said Aga, 32, received a two-year ban after testing positive for methylprednisolone, a prohibited steroid that can reduce pain and fatigue and aid recovery, after winning a half marathon in China in March.

It added four years after finding she had misled investigators during an interview and submitted a fake prescription to justify her use of the substance.

Aga has been provisionally suspended since September 10 with the ban running from that date.

She has finished second three times and third twice at World Marathon Majors. REUTERS