Eliud Kipchoge Sends Strong Message to Ruth Chepng'etich After Doping Scandal

Eliud Kipchoge, widely celebrated as the greatest marathon runner of all time, has strongly criticised Ruth Chepng’etich following her provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) over a doping violation.

Ruth Chepng’etich, who set the stunning women's marathon world record of 2:09:56 in Chicago last October, tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a prohibited diuretic and masking agent.

The positive result stemmed from an out-of-competition sample collected in March. Diuretics like HCTZ are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as they can be used to treat fluid retention and hypertension, but also to rapidly reduce weight or mask the presence of other performance-enhancing drugs.

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The reigning world marathon record holder initially opted for a voluntary provisional suspension in April before the AIU issued its own official Notice of Charge and suspension in July.

A staunch advocate for clean sport, Eliud Kipchoge's long career has coincided with a series of high-profile doping cases within marathon running, including several involving athletes from his home country of Kenya.

Speaking to the Japan Times about Ruth Chepng’etich’s case, Eliud Kipchoge pointed out that it was disappointing to have such things still happening in the sport.

"It's a shame, actually, for people to break the rules in sport," Eliud Kipchoge said.

Eliud Kipchoge is set to compete in the New York City Marathon next month to cement his legacy by completing the full set of World Marathon Majors.

The 40-year-old Kenyan is the only person to have run the marathon in under two hours. His unparalleled career includes two Olympic gold medals and a record 11 victories across the prestigious World Marathon Majors series.

However, the iconic five-borough race in New York remains the one major he has yet to conquer. His journey through the majors began with a victorious debut in Chicago 11 years ago.

"I've been training for major marathons for a very long time, and I have never completed all of them," Eliud Kipchoge stated.

"If I don't complete, I feel like I am halfway, I am not a rounded person. My legacy will be complete because I will have a sixth star."

Eliud Kipchoge's last major title came at the Berlin Marathon two years ago. More recently, he finished ninth at the Sydney Marathon in August, the newest event added to the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.

While age has presented challenges, he was unable to finish the Paris Olympic marathon last year. Eliud Kipchoge credits technological advancements, such as continuous glucose monitoring, for helping him defy the conventional limits of an athlete's career.

"From 2013 to 2020, I was just trying to eat in a good way, to make sure that I have energy in my body," explained Kipchoge, who partnered with Abbott, the marathon majors' title sponsor, in 2021. "That's what made changes. I can monitor my glucose on time. It's wonderful."

Eliud Kipchoge has indicated he will announce his future plans after the New York City Marathon on November 2.