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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

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

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

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

Traces of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a test taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate 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 doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."