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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for three years after the runner admitted to anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - such as her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a four-year suspension but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - including communications from as early as 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

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

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's results, honors, championships, participation and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."