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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been banned for three years after the runner acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before 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 sought a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment 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 indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance 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 occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

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

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner admitted the doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and earnings from 14 March lost.

"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."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."