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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for three years after the runner acknowledged 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 pre-date that sample - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

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

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"The case regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the minimal reporting level 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 obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed 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 rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, honors, championships, participation and prize money from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."