Marathon driver Ruth Chepngetich is facing a two-year ban after being found to be in possession of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a diuretic on the banned list of the Athletics Anti-Doping Union (AIU).
Accordingly, the test sample was taken on April 13 but has only been announced so far, surprising Kenyan public opinion, especially when Chepngetich owns many unusual records.
Ruth Chepngetich was once a proud symbol of Kenyan sports. She emerged in 2018 with a time of 2 hours 18 minutes 35 seconds - one of the 10 best time frames in the history of the marathon at that time.
The 30-year-old then won consecutive medals at the world championships and especially created a miracle at the Chicago Marathon 2022 with a time of 2 hours 14 minutes 18 seconds, before breaking the world record in the following tournament.
With an unbelievable time of 2:09 am and 56 seconds, Chepngetich surpassed Tigst Assefa's record and was hailed as the "new speed queen" of the marathon village.
Even when there were doubts from the media, Kenyan politicians immediately stood up to defend her, considering the accusations as "insulting national honor".
However, the recent doping shock has made all those protections meaningless. The Kenyan athletics community - which has been plagued by similar scandals - continues to face a wave of criticism and skepticism from international public opinion.
If found to have violated, Ruth Chepngetich could be suspended until 2026, and at the same time lose the opportunity to defend his reputation and record.
