Ruth Chepng’etich, the women’s marathon world‑record holder, has received a three‑year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after admitting to a doping violation. The 31‑year‑old Kenyan tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a sample collected on 14 March. HCTZ is often used to mask the presence of performance‑enhancing drugs, although it can also appear as a contaminant in pharmaceutical products.
Chepng’etich was initially suspended in July and subsequently accepted the charges and sanction. While she first could not explain the positive test, she later claimed she had taken her housemaid’s medication, which contained HCTZ, without verifying its contents. The AIU deemed her actions “reckless” and originally proposed a four‑year sanction. Because she accepted the proposed sanction within 20 days, an automatic one‑year reduction was applied, resulting in the three‑year ban.
The AIU will continue to examine suspicious material found on Chepng’etich’s phone to determine whether any further violations occurred. Her achievements and records prior to the 14 March sample remain intact; she set the world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds and won the marathon at the 2019 World Championships in Qatar.
Chair David Howman emphasized the AIU’s commitment to sport integrity, stating that “nobody is above the rules.” The sanction serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to anti‑doping regulations and the consequences of violating them. With Chepng’etich’s case resolved, the focus now shifts to ensuring athletes comply with the rules and that athletics remains clean and fair for all competitors.
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