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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan acknowledged doping infractions.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - such as her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any other violations 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, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, participation and earnings from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their events."