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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for three years after the Kenyan acknowledged 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.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's test 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 Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

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

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."