British Marathon Runner Banned For Cocaine Positive
Joshua Griffiths Gets Three-Month Suspension After Cocaine Metabolite Found In Belfast Marathon Sample
British marathon runner Joshua Griffiths has been handed a three-month ban after testing positive for cocaine following the 2026 Belfast City Marathon on May 3.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed that the 33-year-old’s urine sample contained benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, at an estimated concentration of 380ng/mL. Cocaine itself was also detected.
Griffiths initially denied knowingly taking the drug, describing the positive finding as “absolutely impossible” and requesting analysis of his B sample, which subsequently confirmed the adverse finding.
The runner maintained that he had never used cocaine and attributed the result to inadvertent environmental contamination.
However, the AIU accepted that any cocaine ingestion occurred out of competition and was unrelated to sporting performance. Although it could not establish how the substance entered his system, it concluded that the scientific evidence supported exposure before 23:59 on May 2.
Under anti-doping rules, cocaine is classified as a substance of abuse prohibited in competition. Its out-of-competition use, when unrelated to sporting performance, attracts a three-month suspension.
Griffiths admitted the anti-doping violation and accepted the sanction, which ran from June 19 to September 18, 2026.
The AIU also disqualified all his results obtained on and since May 3, including any medals, prizes and prize money.
The decision was issued on November 5, with WADA and UK Anti-Doping retaining the right to appeal.
