Oct. 31--Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, who won a second straight Bank of America Chicago Marathon title Oct. 12, has reportedly had a positive doping test.
In a Friday release from World Marathon Majors, whose $500,000 series first prize Jeptoo was to receive Sunday, the organization said it was deferring award of the prize until the Jeptoo case is resolved.
Athletics Kenya told supersport.com it had yet to receive official notification of the situation from either the international track federation (IAAF) or World Anti-Doping Agency.
In its statement, the six-race World Marathon Majors said it is "disappointed to learn that Rita Jeptoo has apparently had an A test that proved positive for a banned substance under IAAF rules."
If the positive test is confirmed, Jeptoo would be the second recent multiple Chicago Marathon winner involved in doping.
Last April, Russian Liliya Shobukhova was stripped of the three titles she won from 2009 through 2011 for abnormalities in her biological passport, data used to determine potential doping.
She also was banned two years. The case is in the appeals process.
