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

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

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the runner's penalty 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 indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

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

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

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their events."