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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the failed 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 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

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

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, honors, championships, appearance and earnings since March 14 lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."