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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 July following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test taken from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

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

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

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, participation and earnings from 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations performed by elite athletes in their races."