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Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner admitted to anti-doping infractions.

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

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence 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 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into 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 the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

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

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a test taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, awards, titles, participation and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their events."