Marathon World Record Holder Chepngetich Suspended For Doping

Ruth Chepngetich, nan women's marathon world grounds holder, has been provisionally suspended by nan Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for a banned substance.

The diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was detected successful a sample collected from Kenyan Chepngetich connected 14 March, nan AIU said successful a statement., external

Chepngetich, 30, broke nan world grounds to triumph nan Chicago Marathon successful October 2024, clocking a clip of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds.

HCTZ is utilized clinically to dainty fluid retention and hypertension and is simply a prohibited astatine each times nether nan World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code.

Chepngetich's clip successful Chicago surpassed Ethiopian Tigst Assefa's erstwhile grounds group astatine nan 2023 Berlin Marathon by astir 2 minutes.

Used commonly arsenic a masking agent, HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) successful urine. Chepngetich's sample showed 3,800 ng/mL.

Chepngetich was not provisionally suspended by nan AIU astatine nan clip of notification connected 16 April. However, connected 19 April, she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while nan AIU's investigation was ongoing.

"In nan intervening months, nan AIU continued its investigation and coming issued a Notice of Charge and imposed its ain provisional suspension," AIU caput Brett Clothier said.