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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been suspended for three years after the Kenyan acknowledged doping rule violations.

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that test - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications from as early as the year 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

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

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

Small amounts of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, awards, championships, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention able to uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."