At the 2014 Boston Marathon, Buzunesh Deba had the run of a lifetime.
Clocking 2:19:59, Deba had come up just short and settled for second place on the day, finishing just over a minute behind Rita Jeptoo.
In 2016, after the 2014 Boston Marathon was likely well out of her daily thoughts, Deba received a call from a friend.
Jeptoo, the winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, had been disqualified for doping.
Boston Athletics Association (BAA) organizers soon confirmed the news to Deba through email: She was, in fact, the 2014 Boston Marathon champion.

Alongside being promoted to first place, Deba would also earn the winnerโs prize money and a bonus for setting a new course record (which still stands today). The difference between first and second place amounted to $75,000, and the course record bonus was set at $25,000 for the 2014 race, for a total award of $100,000.
However, ten years after the race and eight years after being promoted to first place, Deba hadnโt seen any of that prize moneyโฆuntil now.
The BAA, responsible for organizing the prestigious event, had refrained from paying Deba under the pretext of ongoing efforts to recover the funds from the disqualified runner, Rita Jeptoo. However, this prolonged process left Deba without the financial reward she had rightfully earned.
This month, Deba finally received a check for $75,000 to cover her promotion to first place. However, the check wasnโt sent from the BAA; rather, it came from a complete stranger.

Doug Guyer, a businessman from the Philadelphia area and a long-standing supporter of the Boston Marathon, stepped forward to alleviate Deba’s eight-year predicament.
Learning about Deba’s plight through an article in the Wall Street Journal, Guyer felt compelled to take action. Without hesitation, he wrote Deba a check for $75,000, ensuring she received the compensation she deserved.
While the BAA wouldnโt send Deba her prize money until it was recovered from Jeptoo, Guyer said that was unacceptable. He also said if the BAA wonโt send Deba the remaining $25,000, he will consider writing a second check.
โJust do the right thing, and then if you have to use lawyers to claw it back, knock yourself out,โ Guyer said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. โJust donโt put the onus on the second-place finisher.โ

Despite Guyer’s intervention, the BAA defended its approach, citing adherence to the policies outlined by World Athletics and the World Marathon Majors organization. These policies stipulate withholding prize money until recovered from disqualified athletes.
However, it is important to note that World Athletics has said that no rule is stopping the BAA from sending Deba the prize money should they choose to do so before recovering it from Jeptoo.
The BAA had net assets of $27.3 million as of 2022, according to its nonprofit tax filing.
Deba, overwhelmed with gratitude, described this gesture as nothing short of miraculous. The timely arrival of the prize money has the potential to be life-changing for Deba, her husband, and their two young children.
With plans to utilize the funds for her family’s well-being and to facilitate her return to elite running, Deba expressed profound appreciation for Guyer’s generosity.
โFor us, itโs a miracle,โ Deba told the Wall Street Journal. โItโs life-changing, big money. We were waiting so long.โ

Deba’s situation echoes similar challenges in other major marathons, such as the Chicago and London Marathons. Delays in redistributing prize money have been observed following the later disqualification of winners due to doping violations.
Chicago Marathon organizers are still attempting to recover $265,000 in prize money from Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova following doping violations. Before having her results nullified, Shobukhova had three wins in Chicago from 2009 to 2011 and a fourth-place finish in 2012.
Shobukhova also won the 2010 London Marathon, which came with a $55,000 prize. However, organizers have also confirmed that no money has been recovered yet, either.
Deba and her husband said they plan to repay Guyer when the BAA does eventually come through with her original prize money, but when will that be? Only time will tell.