Long-distance running Champion Ruth Chepngetich Handed 36-month Ban

Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan confessed to anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year ban but the runner's penalty was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material found on the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic 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 shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner admitted the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to revealing substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their events."