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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for three years after the Kenyan confessed to doping infractions.

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

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

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the anti-doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, championships, appearance and prize money from 14 March lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of revealing doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."