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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any further infractions 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 positive test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the doping rule violations inside 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, honors, championships, participation and earnings from March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their races."