🔗 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 provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also found in a test taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, championships, appearance and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."