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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for three years after the runner admitted to anti-doping infractions.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the runner's penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

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

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, participation and earnings from March 14 lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."