Women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after testing constructive for a prohibited substance earlier this yr, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Thursday.
Chepngetich examined constructive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a diuretic used clinically to deal with fluid retention and hypertension, in a pattern collected on March 14 and later accepted a provisional suspension.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, diuretics like HCTZ can be utilized to flush beforehand taken prohibited substances out of an athlete’s system.
The three-year ban, which was diminished from 4 years after Chepngetich admitted to the doping violation, implies that the Kenyan is eligible to compete once more in April 2028.
Her outcomes since March 14 have additionally been disqualified, however her marathon record of two hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds from Chicago last year will nonetheless stand.
NCS Sports has contacted Chepngetich’s representatives for remark.
According to the AIU, Chepngetich couldn’t present a proof for the constructive take a look at when she was first interviewed by investigators on April 16.
She maintained this place – including that she “had never doped” – throughout a second interview in July, even after being proven evident from her cellphone indicating that the constructive take a look at “may have been intentional,” the AIU stated.
Later that month, Chepngetich wrote to the AIU explaining that she had taken her housemaid’s medicine after feeling unwell two days earlier than the constructive take a look at, however forgot to reveal this truth to investigators.
However, the AIU said that this rationalization was “hardly credible,” describing it because the type of “recklessness” that quantities to “indirect intent” and a four-year suspension.
After accepting the sanction inside 20 days, Chepngetich’s ban was diminished by a yr.
An estimated focus of 3800ng/ml of HCTZ was discovered within the constructive urine pattern from March, exceeding the minimal reporting restrict of 20ng/ml.
In early September, Chepngetich wrote to the AIU and stated that she had “made a big mistake by taking a medicine and not informing the investigator and the official who were in charge of taking samples,” in keeping with a decision document launched by the AIU.
“The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepng’etich’s phone to determine if any other violations have occurred,” stated Brett Clothier, head of the AIU.
AIU chair David Howman, in the meantime, stated that this case highlights how “nobody is above the rules” in relation to doping violations.
The 31-year-old is a three-time Chicago Marathon winner and has a world championships gold medal over the space from 2019.
She turned the primary girl to run a marathon in below 2:10 final October, shaving almost two minutes off the earlier record set by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa in September 2023.