London Marathon to pursue doping cheats and reshape elite women's race

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 28 Oct, 09:44 · Archive

London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher has vowed to catch dopers after the reigning world champion tested positive for EPO and is considering allowing male runners in the 2027 elite women's race.

London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher has vowed to pursue clean sport after reigning world champion Peres Jepchirchir was provisionally suspended for testing positive for EPO in an out-of-competition sample. Jepchirchir, a 33-year-old Kenyan who won gold at the 2020 Olympics and the 2024 London Marathon, returned the sample before winning the Sydney Marathon on 30 August 2026.

Brasher expressed disappointment at the news, saying the impact of cheating extends beyond the athlete themselves to those who finished second, third and fourth. He committed to increasing funding to the Athletics Integrity Unit to more than $700,000 per year and working with shoe companies, agents and athletes to strengthen anti-doping measures across the World Marathon Majors.

The marathon is also considering a format change for the 2027 elite women's race by including male runners and pacemakers to enable faster times. Brasher said he was open to the idea after Ethiopian athlete Tigst Assefa ruptured her Achilles tendon in the closing stages of the Berlin Marathon while on track to break the overall mixed-race world record held by Ruth Chepng'etich. Chepng'etich's record of 2:09:56, set at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, has become controversial after she tested positive for drugs five months later and received a three-year ban in 2025. Brasher commented that he believes 'that world record is entirely dubious'.

How it is being reported

• London Marathon considering major change for 2027 elite women's race by including male runnersOrganisers of the London Marathon are considering a major format shift for the 2027 elite women's race by potentially including male competitors and pacemakers to drive faster finishing times and challenge the world record. Hugh Brasher, the event's chief executive, has shared he is willing to explore the change after what he described as a heartbreaking sequence of events in women's marathon running this year. "We're prepared to mix it up. We very much talk to the athletes about what their goals are," he told the Independent. In recent years, London's elite women's contest has been a…GB News · 28 Oct, 09:31
• London Marathon considering major change to elite women’s race in 2027The London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher is open to the idea of a mixed race in 2027 to enable the world’s best women to target the faster, controversial world record held by the currently-banned Ruth Chepng'etichIndependent Sport · 28 Oct, 07:11
• London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher: ‘We will catch cheats’Exclusive: The London Marathon CEO has made a vow in the pursuit of clean sport after reigning world champion Peres Jepchirchir was provisionally suspended for dopingIndependent Sport · 26 Oct, 19:12

In this story: Hugh Brasher · Peres Jepchirchir · Ruth Chepng'etich · Tigst Assefa · London Marathon · Athletics Integrity Unit · World Marathon Majors

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