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Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after the Kenyan confessed to anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her global best performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."