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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping rule violations.

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

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that test - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability 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 longer 48-month penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich confessed to the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, awards, championships, participation and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"Although disappointing for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to revealing substance abuses committed by top competitors in their events."