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Female long-distance global champion the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping infractions.

Chepngetich 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 global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including communications from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

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

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."