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

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that test - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 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 confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence 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 run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

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

Small amounts of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "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 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."