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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the runner acknowledged anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that test - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 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 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

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

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU 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 interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner confessed to the doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."