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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 temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

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

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

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

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's results, honors, championships, participation and earnings from 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."