Ruth Chepngetich, the ladies’s marathon world report holder, despatched shockwaves throughout the athletics world on Thursday (July 17) when shewas provisionally banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
The rationale behind her suspension was testing constructive for a banned substance. This growth has sparked debate about her outstanding profession and the integrity of elite marathon operating.
Who Is Ruth Chepngetich?
Ruth Chepngetich, a 30-year-old Kenyan runner, is among the most celebrated long-distance athletes of her technology.
In October 2024, she shattered the ladies’s marathon world report on the Chicago Marathon, ending in 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 56 seconds, practically two minutes quicker than the earlier report set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa. This marked her third Chicago Marathon victory, leaving her mark as a dominant power.
Chepngetich additionally received gold on the 2019 World Championships in Qatar, overcoming midnight warmth to emerge victorious. Her achievements have made her a nationwide hero in Kenya, a rustic famend for its distance-running prowess, making her doping case all of the extra surprising.
What’s the doping substance?
The doping substance detected in Chepngetich’s March 14, 2025, pattern was Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a diuretic used medically to deal with fluid retention and hypertension.
In response to the AIU, the pattern confirmed an HCTZ focus of three,800 ng/mL, far exceeding the World Anti-Doping Company’s (WADA) 20 ng/mL reporting threshold.
Why is the substance prohibited?
HCTZ is prohibited in sports activities as a result of it might probably act as a masking agent, rising urine output to probably dilute different banned substances, making them more durable to detect.
Whereas not performance-enhancing, its presence raises considerations about potential makes an attempt to hide different doping violations, prompting scrutiny of Ruth Chepngetich’s current performances.
The investigation and subsequent steps
Ruth Chepngetich was notified of the constructive check on April 3 and voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension on April 19, halting her aggressive actions.
“Chepngetich was not provisionally suspended by the AIU on the time of notification; nonetheless, on 19 April, she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension whereas the AIU’s investigation was ongoing,” stated AIU head Brett Clothier.
On July 17, the AIU issued a proper Discover of Cost and imposed its personal suspension. Nonetheless, Ruth Chepngetich has the correct to attraction and current her case earlier than a Disciplinary Tribunal, which can decide her penalty, probably a two-year ban.
