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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

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

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications from as early as 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, awards, championships, participation and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their events."