Boston Marathon now paying runners who missed out on prize money when others were caught doping

BOSTON – The Boston Marathon is finally paying runners who were due prize money after other runners who finished ahead of them were later disqualified for doping.

The Boston Athletic Association (BAA), which oversees the race, announced Tuesday it will issue “voluntary payments” Tuesday to any runners who were “adversely affected by doping offenses at B.A.A. events.”

2014 Boston Marathon

The BAA started offering prize money for the Boston Marathon back in 1986. The most notable case was 2014 Boston Marathon winner Buzunesh Deba.

Deba will now get $103,000 from the BAA. She’ll receive $75,000 for moving up from second to first in 2014, in addition to a $25,000 bonus for setting the course record and an additional $3,000 for moving up from seventh to sixth in the 2016 race.

Rita Jeptoo won the race that year and Deba finished second. But two years later, the BAA took the title from Jeptoo because of doping. Deba became not only the official winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, but she also became the official course record holder with her time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 59 seconds.

Yet, she never got the extra prize money, until now. That’s because the BAA has spent years trying to get back the $100,000 they gave to Jeptoo.

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

Now she’ll have more to add to that.

Boston Marathon payments

Other runners who’ll be getting checks from the BAA include Marblehead native Shalane Flanagan and 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden. Flanagan is getting $6,000 in back payments, while Linden will be paid $3,200.

“We are supporting athletes who competed in our events, and who believed they would be rewarded for their top finishing place,” BAA CEO Jack Fleming said in a statement. “We are doing what we can to ensure fair competition among athletes, and we will always seek to play host to the fairest of playing fields at all of our events.”

The BAA said it’s “identifying and contacting athletes whose results were re-ranked.” Any runner who may qualify can learn more about the process on the BAA website.