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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been suspended for 36 months after the Kenyan acknowledged anti-doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that test - such as her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's punishment was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, championships, appearance and earnings from 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their races."