Marathon World Record Holder Ruth Chepngetich Provisionally Suspended Over Banned Substance…

Marathon World Record Holder Ruth Chepngetich Provisionally Suspended Over Banned Substance

 

Monaco, July 17, 2025 – Kenyan marathon superstar and world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) following a positive test for a banned diuretic and masking agent, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) .

Chepngetich, 30, stunned the athletics world on October 13, 2024, by delivering a sensational run at the Chicago Marathon, clocking 2 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds – shaving nearly two minutes off the previous women’s world record . Yet, in a routine out‑of‑competition test conducted on March 14, 2025, the AIU detected a concentration of 3 800 ng/mL of HCTZ in her urine sample – almost 190 times higher than the WADA threshold of 20 ng/mL .

Diuretics like HCTZ are banned at all times under the World Anti‑Doping Agency (WADA) Code because they can be used to mask other performance‑enhancing substances . The AIU noted in its statement: “A Notice of Charge has been issued…at an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL in urine” .

Although not initially mandated, Chepngetich chose to voluntarily provisionally suspend herself on April 19 while the investigation proceeded . AIU head Brett Clothier explained that she had been notified on April 16 and interviewed, but the official provisional suspension was imposed in July, when the Notice of Charge formalized the process .

Chepngetich’s agent has yet to issue a public statement, while major events, including the 2025 London Marathon—from which she withdrew citing “not in the right place mentally or physically”—have been caught in the fallout .

As a “specified substance” under the WADA Code, HCTZ carries a standard suspension of two years, though mitigations or increased sanctions may apply depending on the outcome of a disciplinary hearing . Chepngetich is now entitled to a hearing before an AIU Disciplinary Tribunal, with both parties retaining appeal rights through the Court of Arbitration for Sport .

Crucially, only results and titles earned after the doping sample date – March 14, 2025 – are subject to annulment. Chepngetich’s historic 2024 Chicago world record is expected to remain valid, although its reputation has been severely tarnished .

This suspension marks the first time a women’s marathon world record-holder has faced doping charges, underscoring growing concerns about integrity in elite distance running . It also adds pressure on Kenya, where a string of doping cases has prompted the national government to invest $5 million annually since 2023 in anti-doping measures .