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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the runner acknowledged doping rule violations.

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

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in samples, the athlete's sample showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

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

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money from March 14 lost.

"No one is above the rules."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention able to revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."