Chepngetich retains women’s marathon world record despite three-year ban

Chepngetich smashed the marathon satellite grounds successful Chicago past October and was provisionally suspended for doping successful July.

Kenya’s women’s marathon satellite grounds holder Ruth Chepngetich was banned for 3 years connected Thursday aft she admitted to anti-doping regularisation violations, but her 2:09:56 people volition stay connected the books arsenic it was acceptable earlier her affirmative test.

Chepngetich, who smashed the grounds successful Chicago past October, was provisionally suspended successful July this twelvemonth by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) aft hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was detected successful a urine illustration collected from the jock connected March 14.

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The illustration revealed an HCTZ attraction of 3,800ng/mL, acold supra the World Anti-Doping Agency’s minimum reporting bounds of 20ng/mL.

Chepngetich, 31, initially denied immoderate wrongdoing and could not explicate the affirmative effect contempt an AIU investigation, which included investigation of her medications, supplements and telephone data.

Chepngetich changes mentation for affirmative test

However, connected July 31, 2 weeks aft Chepngetich was suspended, she changed her explanation, saying she had unknowingly taken her housemaid’s medication, which contained HCTZ, portion ill.

“She stated that she had forgotten to disclose this incidental to the AIU investigators,” the AIU said successful a statement.

HCTZ is utilized clinically to dainty fluid retention and hypertension, with the AIU adding that diuretics whitethorn beryllium abused to disguise the beingness successful urine of different prohibited substances.

The AIU said Chepngetich’s actions were reckless and indirectly intentional alternatively than accidental, initially applying a four-year sanction.

However, Chepngetich’s aboriginal admittance earned her a one-year reduction, resulting successful a three-year prohibition issued connected September 10.

“The lawsuit regarding the affirmative trial for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU volition proceed to analyse the suspicious worldly recovered from Chepngetich’s telephone to find if immoderate different violations person occurred,” AIU caput Brett Clothier said.

“In the meantime, each Chepngetich’s achievements and records pre-dating the 14 March 2025 illustration stand.”

Reuters has contacted Chepngetich’s typical for comment.

High-profile doping cases

In April, Chepngetich had withdrawn from the London Marathon, saying she was “not successful the close spot mentally oregon physically” to tally her best. But she had really opted for a voluntary provisional suspension astatine the time.

Marathon moving has been deed with a spate of high-profile doping cases successful caller years, peculiarly from Kenya, which is world-renowned for its mediate and long-distance runners.

In November 2022, the middle- and long-distance moving powerhouse avoided a prohibition contempt an expanding fig of its athletes being suspended for affirmative tests.

Athletics Kenya had said its authorities pledged $5m per twelvemonth for 5 years to combat doping successful athletics.

In February 2024, Kenya’s Sarah Chepchirchir was deed with an eight-year prohibition aft the erstwhile Tokyo Marathon victor was recovered to person violated anti-doping regulations for a 2nd clip erstwhile she returned an adverse analytical uncovering for testosterone.

Earlier this year, Kenyan marathon runner Brimin Kipkorir – who won the Sydney Marathon successful 2024 successful a people grounds clip – was besides provisionally suspended by the AIU aft helium tested affirmative for prohibited substances.