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

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

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that sample - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ 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 occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, awards, championships, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."