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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

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

The sports governing body had sought a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

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

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

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

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

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, championships, appearance and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."