The Boston Athletic Association (BAA), on Tuesday announced that Starting in January 2025, they will begin issuing voluntary payments to athletes, whose results were re-ranked due to disqualifications, dating back to 1986—the year prize money was first introduced.
This announcement is significant for Ethiopian runner Buzunesh Deba and Kenyan athlete Edna Kiplagat, who were both elevated to first place after Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo was flagged down in 2014 and Diana Kipyokei in 2021 were disqualified for doping.
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Deba has waited for 10 years after being recognized as the winner of the 2014 race; she also set the course record of 2:19.59 and a total prize purse of USD $100,000 owed to her: $75,000 for first place and $25,000 for the course record.
The 37 year-old who last raced four years ago will receive her payment in January, which will be the largest compensation under the B.A.A.’s voluntary pay-out program. Earlier this year, a Wall Street Journal article put a spotlight on the B.A.A., sharing Deba’s 10-year wait for the prize money. The story caught the attention of Philadelphia businessman Doug Guyer, who sent Deba a USD $75,000 cheque to cover the difference between the first- and second-place prizes.
Jack Fleming, B.A.A. president and CEO said in a press release, “Our initiative aims to ensure that clean athletes are compensated appropriately. While the process to reclaim and redistribute prize money has been challenging, it remains essential to uphold fair competition.”
The BAA works hand in hand with global anti-doping bodies that include the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Notably, no male Boston Marathon champion has been stripped of their title for doping.
