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

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

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record performance 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 penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, participation and prize money from 14 March lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate 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 jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their races."