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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan admitted to 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 masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - such as her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

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

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

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

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their events."