Marathon Record Holder Chepngetich Receives Three-Year Suspension

Female long-distance world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after the runner acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner admitted the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."