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Female long-distance global champion the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the runner confessed to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that test - including her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner confessed to the doping breaches inside the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money from March 14 forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."