Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit following a positive test for a banned diuretic.
The 30-year-old Kenyan tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a sample collected on 14 March, the AIU announced on Thursday.
Chepngetich became the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours and ten minutes when she set the world record in Chicago last October, completing the race in two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds.
The suspension marks a dramatic fall for the athlete who had been preparing for major competitions this year.
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|Ruth Chepngetich has been provisionally suspended for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide
The AIU revealed that Chepngetich's urine sample contained 3,800 nanograms per millilitre of HCTZ, dramatically exceeding the 20 ng/mL threshold that constitutes a positive test under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations.
The sample was taken five days after she finished second at the Lisbon Half Marathon on 9 March, where she recorded a time of one hour, six minutes and 20 seconds.
The AIU notified Chepngetich of the positive result on 16 April and conducted an in-person interview with the athlete, who was described as cooperative during the process.
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|Ruth Chepngetich broke the world record in the 2024 Chicago Marathon
Three days later, on 19 April, she chose to accept a voluntary provisional suspension whilst the AIU's investigation continued.
HCTZ is prohibited at all times under WADA regulations and is commonly used as a masking agent to hide the presence of other banned substances in urine.
The diuretic is used clinically to treat fluid retention and hypertension by increasing urine flow.
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Chepngetich's record-breaking performance in Chicago last year saw her surpass Ethiopian Tigst Assefa's previous mark set at the 2023 Berlin Marathon by nearly two minutes.
She had been scheduled to compete at the London Marathon in April but withdrew from the event, stating she was "not in the right place mentally or physically to race my best".
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|Ruth Chepngetich recently pulled out of the London Marathon for personal reasons
The AIU has now issued a formal Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension following months of investigation.
"Chepngetich 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," said AIU head Brett Clothier.
"In the intervening months, the AIU continued its investigation and today issued a Notice of Charge and imposed its own provisional suspension."
The athlete now has the right to have her case heard at a disciplinary tribunal, where she can present her defence against the charges.