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Female long-distance global champion the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the runner acknowledged anti-doping infractions.

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

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's phone to determine 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 initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on February 28.

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

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner confessed to the doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, championships, participation and prize money since March 14 lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."