Ruth Chepngetich Banned for Three Years After Testing Positive for Banned Substance
- Kenyan marathon sensation Ruth Chepngetich is facing a major doping sanction, raising questions about her future in the sport
- The Athletics Integrity Unit has confirmed a lengthy ban, prompting debate over accountability and anti-doping enforcement in Kenya
- While Chepngetich’s previous records remain officially recognised, the ruling has cast a shadow over her celebrated marathon career
Kenyan marathon star Ruth Chepngetich has been slapped with a three-year ban after testing positive for a prohibited substance, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed on Thursday 23 October 2025.
Source: Getty Images
The 31-year-old, who holds the women’s marathon world record and is a former world champion, tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in March this year. She had already been provisionally suspended since July pending investigations.
AIU dismisses Chepngetich’s defence
Chepngetich initially denied knowingly taking the substance but later changed her statement, claiming she had mistakenly taken her housemaid’s medication after falling ill. The AIU rejected the explanation, describing it as “hardly credible”.
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“The case underlines that nobody is above the rules,” said AIU chair David Howman, adding that Chepngetich had accepted the charges and sanction.
According to AIU findings, her urine sample showed 190 times the permitted level of HCTZ. The unit also confirmed it would continue investigating other “suspicious material” retrieved from the athlete’s phone to determine if further violations occurred.
Source: Getty Images
Despite the suspension, all of Chepngetich’s previous results and records before March 14, 2025, will remain valid. This includes her world-record performance of 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon where she became the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier.
Chepngetich joins a growing list of Kenyan runners sanctioned for doping, following in the footsteps of stars such as Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong. Since 2017, at least 140 Kenyan athletes have been banned the highest number globally.
While Kenya has taken steps to combat doping, recent funding cuts to the country’s anti-doping agency have raised concerns. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), however, recently acknowledged Kenya’s “significant progress” in reforming its systems.
Cape Town Marathon runners get 50% discount
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that African Bank has stepped forward to support runners affected by the abrupt cancellation of last weekend’s Cape Town Marathon. The bank, which sponsors the Soweto Marathon, has announced a 50% discount for Cape Town entrants wishing to join The People’s Race on 29 November.
The Cape Town event was called off at the 11th hour due to dangerously strong winds, leaving thousands of runners disappointed. In response, African Bank, in partnership with the Soweto Marathon NPC, introduced the relief offer to give athletes a new race to look forward to.
Mpumalanga marathon winner yet to receive prize money
Briefly News previously reported that the 2024 Mpumalanga Marathon, one of South Africa’s richest road races, was at the centre of controversy after the men’s winner, Lesotho’s Jobo Khatoane, was yet to receive his prize money.
The race offered more than any other marathon in the country, surpassing even the Comrades Marathon payout won by Gerda Steyn, who received R870,000 in May 2025
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Source: Briefly News
