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Female long-distance world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan confessed to doping rule violations.

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

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a four-year suspension but the runner's penalty was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining proof from the athlete's mobile device which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's test showed an estimated concentration of 3,800 ng/mL.

Traces of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also found in a sample collected from the runner 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

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

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's doping rules, such "recklessness" is considered "implied intention, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the doping breaches inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, awards, championships, participation and prize money 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 supposed to work."

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