- Ruth Chepng’etich has been handed a three-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit after breaching doping offences
- Chepng’etich set the women’s marathon world record last year at Chicago, but the record will still stand
- In the verdict, it was noted that she changed her story and stated she had used her housemaid’s medicine
Ruth Chepng’etich has been banned for three years after returning a positive test for banned substances.
Source: UGC
Chepng’etich, who had until this time been serving a provisional suspension, shattered the women’s world record (2:09:56) in October last year at the Chicago Marathon. She is the only woman to run a marathon under two hours and ten minutes.
Ruth Chepng’etich banned for 3 years
All her results from March 14, when the samples were collected, have been disqualified. Her world record will therefore remain standing after its ratification by World Athletics in December 2024.
Chepng’etich has been accused of using Hydrochlorothiazide, which is a diuretic used to mask other substances in samples.
“Women’s marathon world record-holder, Ruth Chepng’etich, has been banned for three years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), after admitting to Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) regarding the presence and use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ),” read the press release from AIU.
The limit allowed is 20ng/ml, but her sample returned 3800ng/ml, which is 190 times more than the allowed limit. She couldn’t explain the positive test then and a second sample and supplements and medicines she was using were taken for investigation. Her phone was also copied.
Chepng’etich was later informed that her phone evidence showed ‘reasonable suspicion’ that the doping was intentional. The medicines also returned a negative test on the HCTZ, so she couldn’t have consumed the banned substance by mistake.
The 31-year-old changed her story and stated she was ill before the initial test and took her housemaid’s medicines, which contained the banned substance (HCTZ).
Source: Getty Images
“Whilst diuretics are known to be abused by athletes to mask the presence in urine of other Prohibited Substances, HCTZ has also been identified as a potential contaminant in pharmaceuticaal products. It has been ascribed by WADA a minimum reporting limit of 20ng/ml, below which a positive test should not be reported. An estimated concentration of 3800ng/mL of HCTZ was found in the positive urine sample of Chepng’etich.”
She accepted the offence and punishment within 20 days, which means her ban has been reduced to three years instead of the standard four.
Faith Kipyegon warmly embraces her husband
In a different report, Faith Kipyegon was warmly received by her husband at the airport on her arrival from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The government rolled out a colourful welcome party for Team Kenya after amassing 11 medals in total.
Only the USA finished with more medals than Kenya, with Kipyegon getting a gold and a silver in the women’s 1500m and 5000m.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
