Long-distance running Champion Chepngetich Handed 36-month Suspension

Female long-distance global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the runner acknowledged doping infractions.

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

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining proof from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, awards, titles, appearance and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."