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

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - featuring communications from as early as 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' doping regulations, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

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

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, awards, titles, appearance and earnings from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"While unfortunate for those who put their trust 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 uncovering substance abuses performed by elite athletes in their events."