Kenya’s Marathon Star Ruth Chepngetich Banned 3 Years for Doping Violation
Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya’s women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after admitting to anti-doping rule violations, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Thursday. However, her record-breaking 2:09:56 marathon time, set in Chicago last October, will remain valid as it was achieved before her positive drug test. Chepngetich, 31, was provisionally suspended in July after the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was found in her urine sample collected on March 14. Laboratory results revealed an HCTZ concentration of 3,800ng/mL, far exceeding the World Anti-Doping Agency’s minimum threshold of 20ng/mL. Initially, Chepngetich denied any wrongdoing, claiming no knowledge of how the substance entered her system. An AIU investigation analyzed her medications, supplements, and phone data but found no evidence to support her defense. Two weeks after her suspension, on July 31, Chepngetich changed her explanation, […]