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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the runner acknowledged anti-doping rule violations.

Chepngetich was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her global best performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

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

However, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "a reasonable suspicion that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an reason for the failed 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 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's results, honors, titles, appearance and prize money from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

"While disappointing for those who put their trust in this athlete, this is how the system is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be praised for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."