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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan confessed to doping infractions.

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month 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.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

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

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

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's performances, honors, titles, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While disappointing for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of revealing substance abuses committed by top competitors in their races."