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Women's marathon global champion Ruth Chepngetich has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that test - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

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

"This matter concerning the positive 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 taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

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

Traces of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-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 confessed to the doping rule violations inside the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, championships, participation and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."