The women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a banned substance.
The AIU said in a statement, which is in full below, that the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was detected in a sample collected from the Kenyan on March 14th 2025.
Chepngetich, 30, broke the previous world record by nearly than two minutes when she won the Chicago Marathon in October 2024 in a time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds.
She was not provisionally suspended by the AIU at the time of notification on 16 April but on 19 April she opted for a voluntary provisional suspension while the AIU’s investigation was ongoing.
“In the intervening months, the AIU continued its investigation and today issued a notice of charge and imposed its own provisional suspension,” AIU head Brett Clothier said.
Chepngetich had been scheduled to run in this year’s London Marathon on April 27th but told the race’s official website on April 18th: “I’m not in the right place mentally or physically to race my best in London and I am therefore withdrawing. I am very sad to miss the race and I hope to be back next year.”
AIU statement in full
17 JULY 2025, MONACO: 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.
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 ng/mL in urine.
Presenting a brief chronology of this case, AIU Head Brett Clothier revealed Chepng’etich was “notified and interviewed in person by the AIU in Kenya on 16 April and complied with requests regarding our investigation”.
“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.”
Reminding of the process ahead, Clothier noted Chepng’etich has the right for her case to be heard before a Disciplinary Tribunal and that the AIU will not comment further until this matter has been concluded.
What is HCTZ?
The AIU say HCTZ is a diuretic, used clinically to treat fluid retention and hypertension. Under the WADA Code, it is a class S5 Prohibited Substance (Diuretics and Masking Agents), prohibited at all times and a Specified Substance. Diuretics may be abused to mask the presence in urine of other Prohibited Substances.
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Under WADA’s technical requirements for laboratories, HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, meaning findings below this concentration are reported as negative. A Specified Substance has a standard sanction of two (2) years’ ineligibility (subject to possible reduction or increase in accordance with WADA Code provisions).
About the AIU
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is the independent body created by the World Athletics that manages all integrity issues – both doping and non-doping – for the sport of athletics.
The remit of the AIU includes anti-doping, the pursuit of individuals engaged in age or competition results manipulation, investigating fraudulent behaviour with regards to transfers of allegiance, and detecting other misconduct including bribery and breaches of betting rules.
It is the AIU’s role to drive cheats out of our sport, and to do everything within its power to support honest athletes around the world who dedicate their lives to reaching their sporting goals through dedication and hard work.
