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

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

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

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

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

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 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 sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and prize money from 14 March lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."