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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for 36 months after the Kenyan admitted to doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a banned diuretic used commonly as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

However, the integrity unit will keep examining evidence from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to 2022.

"The case regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the first woman 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 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, the record holder was shown the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich admitted the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a temporary ban - with the runner's results, awards, titles, appearance and earnings from 14 March lost.

"No one is above the rules."

"Although disappointing for those who put their trust in this runner, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention able to revealing doping violations committed by elite athletes in their events."