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

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, participation and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."