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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after the runner admitted to doping infractions.

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

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including communications from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to determine if any further infractions 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 less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

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

Traces of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

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

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, participation and earnings from March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."