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

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that test - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

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

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination 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 HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, honors, titles, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."