World Marathon record holder Ruth Chepng'etichThe Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng’etich.
Chepng'etich has been suspended over the alleged presence and use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), following a positive doping test on March 14.
In a statement released Thursday, the AIU confirmed that Chepng’etich’s sample, collected on March 14, 2025, returned an adverse analytical finding for HCTZ.
"The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended marathon world record-holder, Ruth Chepng'etich, for the Presence and Use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) relating to a sample collected from her on 14 March this year."
The statement further added, "A Notice of Charge has been issued against Chepng'etich regarding the detection of the prohibited substance—a diuretic – following an investigation into the Kenyan athlete’s positive test, which was reported to the AIU on 3 April this year, at an estimated concentration of 3800 g/mL in urine."
AIU head in Kenya, Brett Clothier, detailed a timeline of the investigation, revealing that Chepng’etich was notified and interviewed in person in Kenya on April 16, fully cooperating with the process.
"When there is a positive test for diuretics and masking agents, a provisional suspension is not mandatory under the World Anti-Doping Code.
Chepng'etich was not provisionally suspended by the AIU at the time of notification; however, on 19 April, she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while the AIU’s investigation was ongoing,” explained Clothier.
“In the intervening months, the AIU continued its investigation and today issued a Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension.”
Chepng’etich retains the right to have her case heard before a Disciplinary Tribunal.
Chepng’etich shot to global stardom after her astonishing 2:09:56 victory at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, obliterating the previous world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
She became the first woman in history to break both the 2:11 and 2:10 barriers, a feat once deemed impossible in women’s marathon running.
However, her world record was met with swirling doping allegations, claims she vehemently denied at the time.
The 2019 World Marathon Champion from Doha, Chepng’etich has built an illustrious career with standout performances on the road.
She ranks as the sixth-fastest woman in half marathon history with her 1:04:02 clocking from Istanbul 2021.
Her resume, further includes three Chicago Marathon titles from 2021 (2:22:31), 2022 (2:14:18) and 2024.
At the 2022 Chicago Marathon, her time was the second fastest time in history at the time, and just seconds shy of the then women's record of 2:14:04 held by Brigid Kosgei from her triumph in 2019 in the same city.
