Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, the reigning women’s marathon world record holder, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a banned substance.
According to a statement released by the AIU, Chepngetich tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a diuretic classified as a prohibited substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
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The banned drug was detected in a sample collected from the 30-year-old athlete on March 14, 2025.
HCTZ is primarily used for treating fluid retention and hypertension but is also known to act as a masking agent. WADA sets a minimum reporting level for HCTZ at 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, but Chepngetich’s sample returned a staggering concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.
Chepngetich made global headlines in October 2024 when she shattered the women’s marathon world record at the Chicago Marathon, crossing the finish line in a groundbreaking 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 56 seconds. Her performance eclipsed the previous record set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon by nearly two minutes.
Initially, Chepngetich was not provisionally suspended upon notification of the adverse finding on April 16. However, she voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension on April 19, pending further investigation.
“In the intervening months, the AIU continued its investigation and today issued a notice of charge and imposed its own provisional suspension,” said Brett Clothier, Head of the AIU, in an official statement.
The case now proceeds to a formal adjudication process, where Chepngetich will have the opportunity to respond to the charges.
