World record holder Chepng'etich gets three-year ban for anti-doping rule violations

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon professional women's division at Grant Park on October 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. [AFP]

World record holder in the women's marathon, Ruth Chepng’etich, has been banned for three years after admitting to anti-doping rule violations, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Thursday, October 23.

The Kenyan runner, who recently established the world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024, faces the ban despite seeing her historic performances before the positive test documented in the ruling.

The AIU had originally sought a four-year ban following her provisional suspension, which had been imposed in July after a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) on 14 March. 

HCTZ is a diuretic commonly used as a masking agent in doping cases and is listed as a prohibited substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) framework.

Chepng’etich’s ban, however, does not erase her pre-ban achievements. Her Chicago marathon record set last year remains on the books as her official performance. 

Beyond the ruling on the positive test, the AIU said it remains on the case involving additional material found on Chepng’etich’s phone. The organization indicated that messages dating back to 2022 raise “reasonable suspicion” that the positive test may not have been accidental 
AIU chief Brett Clothier confirmed that investigators would pursue the matter to determine whether further violations occurred.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepng’etich's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred,” Clothier said in a statement.