AIU Ban: Kenyan World Record holder Ruth Chepngetich provisionally suspended for positive doping test

Marathon World Record (WR) holder Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for positive doping test.

According to a press release from the AIU, the Kenyan runner tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) following a sample collected on March 14 this year.

The release also stated that Chepngetich's positive test reported to the AIU on April 3 this year had an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL in urine.

Presenting a brief chronology of this case, AIU Head Brett Clothier revealed Chepngetich was “notified and interviewed in person by the AIU in Kenya on April 16 and complied with requests regarding our investigation”.

“When there is a positive test for diuretics and masking agents, a provisional suspension is not mandatory under the World Anti-Doping Code. Chepngetich was not provisionally suspended by the AIU at the time of notification; however, on April 19, she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while the AIU’s investigation was ongoing,” said Clothier.

“In the intervening months, the AIU continued its investigation and today issued a Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension.”

The 30-year-old runner broke the women's marathon WR in Chicago last year with a blistering time of 2:09.57 to surpass the previous record of 2:11.53 set by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa by nearly two minutes.

With her time, she became the first woman in history to break the two-hour and 10-minute mark, and it was her third victory at the Chicago Marathon, after successful outings in 2021 and 2022, and runner-up in 2023.