Josh Griffiths Handed Three-Month Ban

Posted : 12 November 2026

British and Welsh marathon runner Josh Griffiths has been handed a three-month suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a substance produced when the body breaks down cocaine.

The 33-year-old athlete returned the adverse finding following the Belfast City Marathon on May 3, 2026. Griffiths, who has represented Great Britain at two World Athletics Championships and Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, denied knowingly taking cocaine or any other recreational drug.

Although he was unable to establish how the substance entered his system, the AIU accepted that any ingestion occurred outside competition and was unrelated to his sporting performance. Following the investigation, Griffiths admitted the anti-doping violation and accepted the three-month suspension.

The ban began on June 19, 2026, and ran until September 19. In addition to the suspension, his competitive results from May 3 until the end of the ban were disqualified, including his fourth-place finish at the Belfast Marathon.

Griffiths initially expressed disbelief when informed about the adverse analytical finding, insisting that the result must have been a mistake. Benzoylecgonine was subsequently identified in both urine samples collected after the Belfast race.

During the investigation, the Welsh runner provided information about his activities and movements before the competition. He explained that he had stayed at the official race hotel, had not attended social gatherings or consumed alcohol, and had mainly interacted with fellow athletes and race officials.

He also maintained that he had never knowingly consumed cocaine and was unaware of anyone close to him using the substance before the event.

Griffiths submitted scientific evidence in an attempt to establish when the substance entered his system. Although he could not identify its precise source, the AIU accepted the evidence that any ingestion had occurred outside the competition period and was not connected to improving his athletic performance.

The runner first attracted national attention in 2017 when he unexpectedly finished as the fastest British athlete at the London Marathon while competing as a club runner. His impressive performance earned him selection for Great Britain's team at the World Athletics Championships that year.

He subsequently turned professional and continued to establish himself in international distance running. One of his notable achievements came at the 2021 London Marathon, where he finished eighth.

Griffiths also represented Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games before competing for Great Britain at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. His personal-best marathon time stands at 2:11:28, recorded in Seville in 2022.

Despite accepting the anti-doping violation and completing his suspension, the case has resulted in the removal of his Belfast Marathon placing and other affected results, marking a significant setback in his athletics career.

Josh Griffiths Handed Three-Month Ban

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics