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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping infractions.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - such as her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches inside the specified 20-day period.

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

"No one is above the rules."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is supposed to work."

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