Boston Marathon to Compensate Athletes Affected by Doping

The Boston Athletic Association announced it will distribute prize money to athletes who were impacted by doping offenders in its races. Starting in 1986, athletes who were entitled to prizes after disqualifications will be compensated. Doping cases have notably involved Kenyan runners in recent years.

The Boston Athletic Association has announced plans to distribute prize money to athletes adversely affected by doping offenders in their races. The BAA, organizer of the world's oldest annual marathon, stated on Tuesday that it is in the process of reaching out to athletes now eligible for prizes following result re-rankings due to disqualifications.

The payouts will cover competitions dating back to 1986, when the BAA started offering prize money. According to BAA President and CEO Jack Fleming, though the process of reclaiming and redistributing these funds is intricate and time-intensive, they remain committed to supporting clean athletes.

Marathon running has been under scrutiny due to doping scandals, particularly involving athletes from Kenya. Diana Kipyokei of Kenya, who won the Boston Marathon in 2021, had her title revoked for doping and received a six-year ban. The BAA plans to begin voluntary payments in January, urging affected athletes to apply for compensation to ensure fair competition.

(With inputs from agencies.)