Marathon Record Holder Ruth Chepngetich Handed Three-Year Suspension

Female long-distance world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

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

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, championships, appearance and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."