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Female long-distance world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan confessed to anti-doping infractions.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive 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 global best performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"The case 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 determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

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

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, championships, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."