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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, 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 - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

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

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, awards, titles, participation and prize money from 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their events."