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Female long-distance global champion the athlete has been suspended for three years after the runner admitted to doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

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

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, awards, championships, participation and prize money since 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 praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to uncovering substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."