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

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the runner's penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping rule violations inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, titles, appearance and prize money since March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their races."