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

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that sample - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a 48-month ban but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner admitted the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and prize money since March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their races."