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

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that test - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's punishment was lowered to three years because she confessed to the violations.

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

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

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

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

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and earnings from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."