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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged doping infractions.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner confessed to the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."