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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been banned for 36 months after the runner admitted to doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in July following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a masking agent - on March 14.

The athlete's accomplishments which occurred before that sample - such as her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the integrity unit will keep examining proof from Chepngetich's phone which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on the runner's phone to ascertain if any further infractions have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the positive test.

Although the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof obtained from her phone. Meanwhile, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had taken her housemaid's pills - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' doping regulations, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month penalty applies".

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

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the competitor's results, awards, championships, appearance and earnings from March 14 lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding doping prevention capable of uncovering doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."