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

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate proof from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"The case regarding the failed 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 taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ below the detection threshold were also found in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, stating that she had used her domestic worker's pills - labeled as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started 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."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."