PARIS — Ruth Chepngetich, the Kenyan marathon phenom who stunned the world with her record-breaking performance in Chicago last year, is now at the center of a doping controversy that threatens to unravel her legacy.
The 30-year-old distance runner has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for hydrochlorothiazide, a banned diuretic often associated with masking agents in doping violations. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed the positive result stemmed from a sample collected on March 14, 2025.
Chepngetich had not initially been suspended, as rules under the World Anti-Doping Code do not mandate provisional suspensions for diuretics. However, on April 19, she voluntarily stepped away from competition while the AIU conducted its investigation. That investigation has now culminated in an official Notice of Charge and an enforced provisional suspension.
Hydrochlorothiazide, the substance in question, is commonly prescribed for fluid retention and high blood pressure but is flagged in athletics due to its potential use in concealing the presence of other performance-enhancing drugs.
The doping development comes just months after Chepngetich’s sudden withdrawal from the 2024 London Marathon, where she cited being “not in the right place mentally or physically to race [her] best.”
Her case now proceeds to a disciplinary tribunal, where the fate of her record—and reputation—hangs in the balance.
