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

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

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

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - including communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

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

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

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 AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their events."