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

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

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations performed by top competitors in their events."