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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 failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that sample - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

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

However, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - including messages from as early as the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

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

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money from March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

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