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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner confessed to anti-doping infractions.

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

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

The sports governing body had sought a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to 36 months because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from the athlete's phone which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's phone to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

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

Small amounts of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also identified in a test collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and earnings from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their races."