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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for three years after the runner acknowledged doping infractions.

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

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month suspension but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an reason for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under 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, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

The athlete changed her explanation on 31 July, stating that she had used her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban commenced on 19 April - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and earnings since 14 March lost.

"No one is exempt from regulations."

"While disappointing for those who had faith in this athlete, this is how the process is supposed to work."

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their events."