Ruth Chepngetich, the women’s marathon world record holder and 2019 world champion, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for a doping violation.
The suspension follows the detection of the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a sample collected on March 14, 2025.
Chepngetich, 30, shattered the world record at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024 with a time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds. The AIU stated her sample contained 3,800 ng/mL of HCTZ, far exceeding the 20 ng/mL reporting limit.
While initially not suspended, Chepngetich voluntarily opted for a provisional suspension on April 19 as the AIU’s investigation continued.
“The AIU continued its investigation and today issued a Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension,” said AIU head Brett Clothier.
This incident highlights ongoing doping challenges in Kenyan athletics, with numerous athletes facing bans in recent years.
Chepngetich is now ineligible to compete pending a full disciplinary hearing.
