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Female long-distance world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan confessed to doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

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

"This matter regarding the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions 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 under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also found in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

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

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner admitted the doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, championships, participation and prize money since 14 March lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."