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

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - including messages from as early as 2022.

"The case regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any further infractions have taken place."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in the fourth month by the AIU, Chepngetich, the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

Although the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a test taken from the runner two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had taken her housemaid's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their races."