Top Kenyan Marathoner Ruth Chepng’etich Suspended Over Doping Allegations

 

By Victor Maiyo

NAIROBI, Kenya — Celebrated Kenyan marathon runner Ruth Chepng’etich has been provisionally suspended following a positive test for a banned substance, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed on Thursday, July 17.

The AIU revealed that a sample collected from the 30-year-old athlete in March tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a diuretic prohibited due to its potential use in masking other performance-enhancing drugs. The concentration of HCTZ found in her system was 3800 ng/mL — a level that triggered immediate scrutiny from anti-doping authorities.

According to AIU head Brett Clothier, Chepng’etich was formally informed of the findings in April and interviewed in Kenya on the 16th of that month. Clothier noted that Chepng’etich fully cooperated during the investigation. Just three days later, on April 19, she agreed to a provisional suspension while the case proceeded.

A formal charge has now been filed against the long-distance star, though she retains the right to defend herself before a disciplinary panel. If found guilty, Chepng’etich could face a lengthy ban from competition, jeopardizing her athletic career and legacy.

Chepng’etich’s suspension arrives less than a year after her historic performance at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where she clocked a record-breaking 2:09:57 — at the time, the fastest women’s marathon ever recorded. That victory marked her third consecutive win in Chicago and solidified her status as one of the sport’s elite competitors.

The news has sent shockwaves through the athletics community and renewed scrutiny on Kenya’s ongoing struggle with doping in sports. Just three months ago, fellow Kenyan distance runner Purity Changwony was slapped with a two-year suspension after testing positive for multiple banned substances.

As Chepng’etich prepares to present her defense, the global athletics fraternity waits anxiously to see whether this latest case will further tarnish Kenya’s storied legacy in distance running — or reveal a more complex truth behind the positive test.

The AIU has promised a thorough and transparent process as it moves toward a final verdict. Until then, Chepng’etich remains ineligible to compete in any sanctioned events.

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Victor Maiyo is a sports journalist covering athletics and anti-doping developments in East Africa.