UTMB and Sierre-Zinal champion suspended for doping
Kenya’s Joyline Chepngeno has been suspended for two years after testing positive for a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation
©WMRA • Marco Gulberti
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced Tuesday that Kenya’s Joyline Chepngeno, winner of the 2025 UTMB Mont Blanc OCC race and Sierre-Zinal, has been suspended for testing positive for triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation.
Chepngeno’s positive result came from an in-competition doping test following her victory at Sierre-Zinal on Aug. 9. Her sample was analyzed at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Cologne, Germany, where the banned substance was detected.
The AIU has banned Joyline Chepngeno (Kenya) for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Triamcinolone acetonide) for 2 years from 8 September 2025. DQ results since 9 August 2025.
Details here: https://t.co/y4zy3RzTHe pic.twitter.com/IZDdg6Cgmi
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) September 9, 2025
Just one day before the result was confirmed, on Aug. 29, Chepngeno had become the first Kenyan to win the 50 km OCC race at UTMB Mont Blanc. Both titles will now be disqualified, with China’s Miao Yao upgraded to the OCC winner, and Kenya’s Caroline Kimutai will be recognized as Sierre-Zinal champion.
According to Sierre-Zinal officials, Kimutai’s doping test came up negative.
The AIU reported that Chepngeno accepted her violation and will serve a two-year ban, effective until Sept. 8, 2027.
Her sponsor, Salomon, quickly cut ties, releasing a statement shortly after the ban was announced:
“We have received official confirmation that Joyline Chepngeno, one of our trail running athletes, has returned a positive anti-doping test after the use of injected painkillers in the form of corticoids. This behaviour contradicts the values at the core of Salomon’s DNA, which shape all our actions. We will uphold these principles without compromise; any violation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
This is not the first time the women’s champion at Sierre-Zinal has been stripped of the title for doping. In 2022, Kenya’s Esther Chesang was disqualified after testing positive for the same substance as Chepngeno: triamcinolone acetonide.
The race organization has also sanctioned Chepngeno’s coach, Julien Lyon, suspending him and his Milimani Runners team from Sierre-Zinal until further notice. Lyon has additionally been ordered to reimburse the race for expenses incurred by his team (including accommodation, meals, travel, and administrative costs) and to compensate Sierre-Zinal for reputational damage.
