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

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before 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 anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations committed by elite athletes in their events."