🔗 Share this article

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

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a positive test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance often utilized as a masking agent - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's accomplishments which occurred before that test - such as her world record performance of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had sought a four-year suspension but the 31-year-old punishment was lowered to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

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" - featuring messages dating back to 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the unit will keep looking into the suspicious material recovered from Chepngetich's device to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the integrity body, the marathoner, the initial female to complete a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in samples, Chepngetich's sample showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Traces of the diuretic under the minimal reporting level were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned questionable proof obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the authority.

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

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

An standard 12-month decrease was granted after the runner admitted the doping rule violations inside the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension started on 19 April - when Chepngetich accepted a temporary ban - with the runner's performances, honors, titles, participation and prize money since 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be praised for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to revealing substance abuses committed by top competitors in their races."