Ruth Chepngetich, the women's marathon world record holder, has been banned for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
What happened?
The Athletics Integrity Unit announced the ban on Thursday, stating that Chepngetich tested positive for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a sample collected on March 14.
Chepngetich accepted a provisional suspension and later admitted to the doping violation.
Why it matters for Ruth Chepngetich
The three-year ban means that the 31-year-old Kenyan is eligible to compete again in April 2028.
Her results since March 14 have been disqualified, but her marathon record of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 56 seconds from Chicago last year will still stand.
What comes next?
The AIU will continue to investigate suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred, said Brett Clothier, head of the AIU.
Chepngetich's representatives have been contacted for comment, but she has not publicly responded to the ban.
The World Anti-Doping Agency states that diuretics like HCTZ can be used to flush previously taken prohibited substances out of an athlete's system.
Chepngetich initially claimed she had never doped, but later admitted to taking her housemaid's medication without disclosing it to investigators.
The AIU described this explanation as "hardly credible" and stated that it was a case of "indirect intent".
Chepngetich's ban was reduced from four years to three years after she admitted to the doping violation within 20 days.
An estimated concentration of 3800ng/ml of HCTZ was found in the positive urine sample, exceeding the minimum reporting limit of 20ng/ml.
Chepngetich is a three-time Chicago Marathon winner and has a world championships gold medal over the distance from 2019.
She became the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10 last October, shaving nearly two minutes off the previous record.
The AIU chair, David Howman, stated that this case highlights how "nobody is above the rules" when it comes to doping violations.