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

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her global best performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

However, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring communications dating back to 2022.

"The case regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

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

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

Small amounts of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample collected from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, awards, championships, appearance and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."