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Female long-distance global champion the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

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 October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's phone to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month 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.

Although the substance 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 HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

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

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

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, appearance and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their races."