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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been prohibited for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged doping infractions.

The record holder 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.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that sample - such as her global best time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she confessed to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

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

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."