Marathon Record Holder Ruth Chepngetich Handed Three-Year Suspension

Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for three years after the runner acknowledged anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner admitted the anti-doping breaches inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."