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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

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

Small amounts of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, championships, participation and prize money from 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 collectively funding doping prevention able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."