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women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich He has been banned for three years after admitting an anti-doping violation, but his record time will be allowed to stand because it predates his positive test.
Kenya’s Chepangetich breaks world record at Chicago Marathon in October 2024 clock 2:09:56 Became the first woman in history to break the barrier of 2:10:00.
He Temporarily suspended in July this year The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said, after testing positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), which was found in a sample dated 14 March 2025.
In a statement confirming the three-year ban, the AIU said Chepngetich’s sample revealed an HCTZ concentration of 3,800ng/mL, significantly higher than the World Anti-Doping Agency’s minimum reporting limit of 20ng/mL.
The AIU said Chepangetich initially could not explain his positive test during an interview on July 11 and during their investigation, which included analysis of his medications, supplements and phone data.
Chepangetich was also asked about WhatsApp messages received on her phone in April 2024 that contained photographs of vials of testosterone and oxandrolone – both banned substances and anabolic steroids – with Kenyan told that the messages were unsolicited and she did not respond but may have accidentally screenshotted them.
On July 31, two weeks after his temporary suspension, the AIU said Chepangetich changed his explanation, recalling he “took his housemaid’s medicine as treatment” after falling ill, before he realized that the medicine contained HCTZ.
The AIU said HCTZ is used medically to treat fluid retention and high blood pressure. But diuretics such as HCTZ can be abused to conceal the presence of other banned substances in the urine.
The AIU said it considered Chepangetich’s actions “reckless” and that they were the result of “indirect intent” rather than accidental, and applied for a four-year ban, but his admission resulted in a one-year reduction. However, the investigation into the images recovered from Chepngetich’s phone will continue.
“The matter of the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich’s phone to determine whether any other violations occurred,” AIU head Brett Clothier said in a statement.
“Meanwhile, all achievements and records of Chepangetich are prior to the sample stand of 14 March 2025.”