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

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

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

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

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

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

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."