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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner acknowledged doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her global best performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on the runner's device to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a sample collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - 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' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money from March 14 forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."