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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping infractions.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her global best time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

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

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also found in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the athletics' doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, honors, titles, participation and earnings since 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."