The 30 years old Kenyan is the latest high-profile athlete to face provisional suspension

Ten months after storming the marathon running, setting world record at 2024 Chicago Marathon, Kenya’s 30 years old star distance runner Ruth Chepngetich faces ignominy of being provisionally suspended for using masking agent banned by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). She is the latest high-profile runner to have failed a dope test. Her positive test will further damage the reputation of the Kenyan distance running saga.
Being a winner of the women’s race at the Chicago Marathon, the Kenyan runner was richer by $100,000 and got a bonus for breaking the world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
The AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit) announced Thursday of Ruth Chepngetich provisional suspension. “Ruth Chepngetich was not provisionally suspended by the AIU at the time of notification in March. However, on April 19 she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while the AIU’s investigation was ongoing,” AIU’s head Brett Clothier said in a statement.
At the 2024 Chicago Marathon, Ruth became the first female runner to break 2:10 for a marathon as she crossed the finish line in 2 hours 9 minutes 56 seconds, the time was nearly two minutes faster than the previous world record. Ruth’s world record time was ratified by World Athletics on December 11, 2024.
Ruth evaded questions during the post 2024 Chicago Marathon press conference that her outstanding performance of sub 2:10 marathon could be due to use of performance enhancing drugs?
The African nation in the Rift Valley known as the cradle of distance running has been in the eye of a storm as several top Kenyan runners have been testing positive for banned drugs. It’s a different matter that the majority of the top finishers in major distance races, including major marathons are from East African nations including Kenya.
The World Athletics has been closely monitoring the doping issues in Kenya and has made it mandatory for Kenya’s athletics contingent to undergo at least two dope tests before competing at major global competitions like Olympic Games. There are regular seminars under the aegis of World Athletics in coordination with Athletics Kenya, but Ruth’s incidents hints that doping is deep rooted in the country.
After etching her name in books in October 2024, Ruth performance wasn’t on expected lines.
She finished second in the Lisbon half marathon on March 9, 2025 and five days later tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide, a masking agent banned by WADA. The ratio of masking agents was exorbitantly high.
On April 16 she was notified of the positive test and she pulled out of the 2025 London Marathon due to provisional suspension.
While the AIU investigation is on, Ruth has the right to be heard!