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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that test - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to uncovering substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."