🔗 Share this article

Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan confessed to doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April 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 failed test.

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before 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 regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, awards, titles, participation and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their races."