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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for three years after the runner confessed to doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

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

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

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

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"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."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their races."