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Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for three years after the runner confessed to doping infractions.

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

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

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

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

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

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

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - 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 framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the doping breaches inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money from March 14 lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."