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Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month ban but the runner's penalty was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

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

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, appearance and prize money from March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."