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Female long-distance world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for 36 months after the runner admitted to doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

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

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

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

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the failed test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, championships, appearance and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."