Long-distance running Champion Chepngetich Receives Three-Year Suspension

Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been suspended for three years after the runner admitted to anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her global best performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

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

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining proof from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, awards, titles, appearance and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."