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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman 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 urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, awards, titles, appearance and earnings from March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their races."