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Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been banned for three years after the runner confessed to anti-doping rule violations.

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

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that test - including her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the runner's punishment was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been intentional" - including communications dating back to 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When questioned in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, 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 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

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

The unit had "major doubts about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month penalty is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after the runner confessed to the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban commenced on April 19 - when the athlete agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, awards, titles, participation and earnings since March 14 forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"The road-running industry should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of revealing substance abuses committed by elite athletes in their races."