World marathon record holder Ruth Chepngetich faces a possible two-year ban after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced her provisional suspension for testing positive in a doping control. The Kenyan athlete, who broke the world record in Chicago last October with a time of 2:09:56, tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide, a banned diuretic and masking agent.
Chepngetich, 30, withdrew from the London Marathon in April citing personal reasons, although the AIU has confirmed that the positive test corresponds to a sample taken on March 14. The concentration of the substance in her urine was 3800 ng/mL, according to the official report.
Investigation and provisional suspension
The AIU communicated the result to the athlete on April 3, and after being interviewed in Kenya, Chepngetich opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while the investigation continued. The agency has issued a notice of charges and is maintaining the suspension while the case is being resolved.
According to the World Anti-Doping Code, provisional suspension was not mandatory in this case, but the athlete herself decided to accept it on April 19, pending the final resolution.
Chepngetich’s career and records
Ruth Chepngetich made a name for herself in 2018 with a time of 2:18:35 and in 2019 she won silver at the World Championships. In 2021, she won the Chicago Marathon and in 2022 she improved her time to 2:14:18. Her world record of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 was an improvement of almost two minutes on the previous record.
After her victory in Chicago, the athlete was questioned by a journalist from ‘Let’s Run’ about the veracity of her time, to which she replied: “I have no idea.” The question sparked controversy in Kenya and reactions of support for the athlete.
Reactions in Kenya and the anti-doping context
Several members of the Kenyan parliament and the Athletics Kenya federation defended Chepngetich’s integrity, describing doubts about her achievements as “unfounded” and “disproportionate.” The federation stressed that many records have been broken this year and considered it unfair to single out the Kenyan athlete.
The AIU has reiterated that hydrochlorothiazide is a substance that is prohibited at all times due to its ability to mask other doping products, and that its detection carries a standard penalty of two years of ineligibility, although this may vary depending on the circumstances of the case.
Next steps and the athlete’s rights
Chepngetich has the right to have her case reviewed by a disciplinary tribunal and has been contacted through her representative, Frederico Rosa, to give her version of events. At this time, the athlete has not made any public statements about the suspension or the proceedings initiated by the AIU.
The final decision will depend on the investigation and any defense presented by the athlete to the anti-doping authorities.
