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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for three years after the Kenyan acknowledged anti-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 March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

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

Traces of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

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

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to 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 "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, titles, appearance and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"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 commended for jointly supporting doping prevention able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."