Boston Marathon organisers to pay athletes impacted by doping offenders

NEW YORK – The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) has confirmed that it will be paying prize money to athletes who finished behind doping offenders at their races, including the Boston Marathon.

The organiser of the world’s oldest annual marathon said on Nov 26 that it was in the process of contacting athletes entitled to prizes after their results were re-ranked due to disqualification.

The payouts would apply to runners since 1986, when BAA first introduced prize money.

“While the multi-step process to reclaim and redistribute prize money has been complex and time-consuming for all involved, we have worked – and continue to work – diligently towards a resolution that supports clean athletes.

“Athletes will receive the prize money they rightfully earned at our races with these payments,” BAA president and chief executive officer Jack Fleming said in a statement.

The voluntary payments would begin in January, and that athletes who believe they were adversely affected should apply for compensation. They can find out more information on its website.

“We are doing what we can to ensure fair competition, and we will always seek to play host to the fairest of playing fields at all of our events,” added Fleming.

It was reported that 80 runners from eight Boston Marathons and nine participants from the Boston 5K event are eligible to receive payments totalling US$300,000 (S$403,000).

Marathon running has been hit by a spate of high-profile doping cases in recent years.

Kenyan Diana Kipyokei was stripped of her 2021 Boston Marathon title the following year for doping and was handed a six-year ban.

Her compatriot Edna Kiplagat was elevated to first place.

Besides Kipyokei, the other high-profile case involved Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba, who was upgraded to first place after 2014 Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya was found guilty of doping and the title taken away two years later.

According to CBS News, Deba will be eligible to receive US$75,000 for moving up from second to first.

She also set the course record of 2hr 19min 59sec in the 2014 race, meaning she will receive a US$25,000 bonus, while she will get an additional US$3,000 for moving up from seventh to sixth in the 2016 race. In total, Deba will receive US$103,000.

That amount had not been disbursed since 2016, as the BAA was trying to recover the US$100,000 it paid to Jeptoo.

Back in May, a Boston Marathon fan decided he would pay Deba US$75,000 out of his own pocket. She told the Wall Street Journal that the money was “life changing”.

But with the latest development, it is believed that Deba will be paid her extra prize money regardless.

The BAA’s initiative reflects its efforts and partnership with leading anti-doping organisations, which include the Athletics Integrity Unit, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the US Anti-Doping Agency.
REUTERS