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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner acknowledged doping infractions.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

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

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test taken from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the anti-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, championships, 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."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."