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Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

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

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

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

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit 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 test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty 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 the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, awards, championships, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."