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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been banned for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - including her world record performance of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications from as early as the year 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the first woman to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

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

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."