🔗 Share this article

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

The record holder was temporarily banned in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on March 14.

The athlete's achievements which occurred before that sample - such as her global best time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in the Chicago event in 2024 - will remain valid.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a four-year ban but the runner's penalty was reduced to three years because she confessed to the infractions.

Nonetheless, the AIU will continue to investigate proof from Chepngetich's mobile device which it found indicate "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring communications dating back to the year 2022.

"The case concerning the positive test for the substance has been resolved, but the AIU will continue to investigate the questionable evidence found on the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, the marathoner, the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an reason for the positive test.

While the substance has a minimum reporting level of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on 28 February.

At a subsequent meeting on 11 July, Chepngetich was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had used her domestic worker's medication - marked as being the banned substance - after becoming ill two days before the failed test.

The AIU had "major doubts about the reliability of the revised account" and, in the context of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction applies".

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

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, honors, titles, appearance and earnings from 14 March forfeited.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts able to uncovering doping violations performed by top competitors in their events."