NAIROBI, Kenya – October 23, 2025 — Kenyan marathon sensation Ruth Chepngetich has been handed a three-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after admitting to an anti-doping rule violation involving the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). However, her historic 2:09:56 world record, set at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024, will remain valid, as it was achieved before her positive test.

Chepngetich, 31, one of Kenya’s most decorated distance runners, was provisionally suspended in July 2025 after the AIU detected 3,800ng/mL of HCTZ in a sample collected on March 14, 2025 — nearly 200 times higher than the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) minimum reporting threshold of 20ng/mL.

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Chepngetich’s Changing Explanation and Reduced Ban

Initially, Chepngetich denied any wrongdoing and could not explain how the banned substance entered her system. But on July 31, weeks after her suspension, she changed her statement, claiming she had mistakenly ingested her housemaid’s medication while ill, unaware that it contained HCTZ.

“She stated that she had forgotten to disclose this incident to the AIU investigators,” the AIU said in its official statement.

The AIU classified her conduct as “reckless and indirectly intentional”, initially imposing a four-year sanction. However, her early admission of guilt earned a one-year reduction, resulting in a three-year ban effective September 10, 2025, and set to end in September 2028.

AIU head Brett Clothier confirmed that the case regarding the positive test is now closed, but said the unit is continuing to investigate “suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich’s phone.”

“All Chepngetich’s achievements and records prior to the March 14, 2025, sample remain valid,” Clothier added.

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Record Remains Intact

Chepngetich’s 2:09:56 performance at the 2024 Chicago Marathon was hailed as one of the greatest feats in women’s athletics, shattering the previous record and making her the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier.

Since the doping violation occurred months later, her record will not be annulled, keeping her name in the record books despite the suspension.

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A Pattern of Doping in Kenyan Athletics

Chepngetich’s case adds to a troubling trend of doping scandals among Kenyan distance runners. Kenya, long revered as the cradle of marathon excellence, has faced increased scrutiny from global anti-doping authorities.

In recent years, several high-profile Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned:

• Sarah Chepchirchir, former Tokyo Marathon champion, received an eight-year ban in February 2024 for a repeat offense involving testosterone.
• Brimin Kipkorir, winner of the 2024 Sydney Marathon, was provisionally suspended in early 2025 after testing positive for multiple banned substances.

Despite growing international criticism, Athletics Kenya and the Kenyan government have pledged $5 million annually for five years to combat doping, improve testing protocols, and restore the nation’s credibility.

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Chepngetich’s Career in Limbo

Before her ban, Chepngetich withdrew from the 2025 London Marathon, citing mental and physical unpreparedness — a move now revealed to be part of a voluntary provisional suspension.

Her absence will leave a significant void in women’s marathon running, as she was regarded as one of the most dominant athletes of her generation, having won multiple World Marathon Majors and a World Championships gold medal.

It remains unclear whether Chepngetich will attempt a comeback once her suspension ends in 2028, when she will be 34 years old.

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Wider Impact on the Sport

The AIU’s continued crackdown on doping reflects a broader shift toward stricter enforcement and digital forensics, including the analysis of athletes’ phones, supplements, and communications for signs of prohibited substance use or tampering.

Marathon organizers worldwide have also stepped up their own anti-doping protocols, requiring more out-of-competition testing and biological passport updates to prevent further scandals.