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

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

The athlete's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - such as her world record time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was reduced to three years because she admitted to the violations.

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

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to determine if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, was unable to give an explanation for the failed test.

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also identified in a test taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, contamination had also been disproven by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on 31 July, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked as being HCTZ - after falling sick 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after the runner confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's results, awards, championships, appearance and earnings since March 14 lost.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting doping prevention capable of revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their races."