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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 temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that test - such as her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

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

Small amounts of HCTZ under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being the banned substance - 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 context of the sport's doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner confessed to the doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and prize money since March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their races."