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Women's marathon world record-holder the athlete has been prohibited for three years after the Kenyan admitted to doping rule violations.

The record holder was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a masking agent - on 14 March.

The athlete's achievements which pre-date that sample - including her world record time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was lowered to three years because she admitted to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate evidence from the athlete's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been intentional" - including messages dating back to 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the unit will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's device to determine if any other violations have occurred."

'Nobody is above the rules'

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

Although HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

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

At a subsequent meeting on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been disproven by the authority.

Chepngetich changed her explanation on 31 July, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the positive test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the credibility of the new version of events" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping regulations, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year penalty is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The 36-month suspension started on April 19 - when the athlete accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"No one is above the rules."

"While unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the process is designed to operate."

"The road-running industry should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts able to revealing doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."