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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for three years after the runner acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that sample - including her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner admitted the doping rule violations inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, awards, championships, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

"Although disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their races."