🔗 Share this article

Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications from as early as the year 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, 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 the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also found in a test taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner admitted the anti-doping breaches inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, awards, championships, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."