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Women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich has been suspended for three years after the Kenyan admitted to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

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

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - including messages from as early as the year 2022.

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

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also identified in a sample collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

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

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."