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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

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 infractions.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions 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 less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a test taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

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

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

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