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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged doping infractions.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, 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 credibility of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, appearance and prize money from 14 March lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."