Uganda’s long-distance running community has received difficult news following a ruling by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) involving marathon runner Mercyline Chelangat, one of the country’s most accomplished athletes on the global stage.
Chelangat, a 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist and double Olympian, has been handed a five-year ban after testing positive for a prohibited substance. The sanction follows findings from two urine samples that detected testosterone-related metabolites, substances banned under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations.
According to Athletics Weekly, the 28-year-old athlete, who represented Uganda at the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, provided the first out-of-competition sample in Kapchorwa on August 13, 2025. A second in-competition sample was taken on September 14, 2025, shortly after she finished 49th in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, clocking a time of 2:45:36.
According to the AIU, both samples showed the presence of testosterone metabolites and androsterone. Investigations further established that Chelangat did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) that could justify the findings.
In her response to the AIU, Chelangat explained that she had been dealing with injuries since 2023 and had relied on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers for an extended period. She also disclosed that she was treated for pneumonia in Uganda in August 2025, during which she received several injections. While she accepted the adverse finding from the Tokyo sample, she maintained that there was no intentional use of prohibited substances.
The athlete submitted medical notes, supplement lists and photos to support her explanation. However, the AIU concluded that none of the medications or supplements provided contained testosterone or related precursors.
On December 31, 2025, Chelangat formally admitted to the anti-doping rule violations and accepted responsibility, a move that led to a reduction of her sanction from six years to five years due to early admission. As a result, all her competitive results from August 13, 2025, including her World Championships marathon finish, have been disqualified.
Chelangat rose to national and international recognition after clinching bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, a performance that cemented her place among Uganda’s elite distance runners. Despite the setback, many within Uganda’s athletics fraternity see this as a moment for reflection, learning and eventual redemption.
Mercyline Chelangat handed five-year doping ban, accepts responsibility
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