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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner confessed to anti-doping infractions.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

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

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, honors, championships, participation and earnings from 14 March lost.

"No one 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 anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."