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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan confessed to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

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

Small amounts of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

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

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."