Long-distance running Champion Chepngetich Given 36-month Suspension

Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been banned for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping infractions.

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

Chepngetich's accomplishments which pre-date that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in October 2024 - will still stand.

The sports governing body had sought a 48-month ban but the runner's punishment was lowered to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the integrity unit will continue to investigate evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her failed test may have been deliberate" - including messages dating back to 2022.

"The case concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been resolved, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence recovered from Chepngetich's phone to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

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

While HCTZ has a minimum reporting level of 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) in urine, Chepngetich's test showed an approximate level of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of the diuretic below the detection threshold were also found in a test collected from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on 28 February.

At a later interview on 11 July, the record holder was presented with the aforementioned suspicious evidence acquired from her mobile. Meanwhile, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the authority.

The athlete altered her story on July 31, claiming that she had used her housemaid's pills - marked as being the banned substance - after falling sick two days before the positive test.

The unit had "serious reservations about the credibility of the revised account" and, in the framework of the sport's anti-doping rules, such "carelessness" is considered "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction is applicable".

An automatic one-year reduction was applied after Chepngetich admitted the anti-doping breaches within the specified 20-day period.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the runner's performances, honors, championships, appearance and earnings from March 14 lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of revealing doping violations committed by top competitors in their events."