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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been suspended for three years after the Kenyan confessed to anti-doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

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

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including communications from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

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

Although HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the minimal reporting level were also found in a sample collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner admitted the doping rule violations within the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, awards, titles, appearance and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

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