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

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

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

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

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the process 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."