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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the runner admitted to anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's penalty was lowered to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, 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 minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the doping rule violations inside 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 results, honors, championships, appearance and earnings since 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."