🔗 Share this article

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

Chepngetich was provisionally suspended in the seventh month following a failed test for a banned substance - a banned diuretic often utilized as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which pre-date that test - including her world record performance of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds in Chicago in 2024 - will still stand.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had requested a 48-month suspension but the 31-year-old penalty was reduced to 36 months because she admitted to the violations.

However, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "a reasonable suspicion that her failed test may have been deliberate" - featuring messages from as early as the year 2022.

"This matter regarding the failed test for the substance has been settled, but the AIU will continue to investigate the suspicious material recovered from the runner's device to ascertain if any other violations have taken place."

'Nobody is above the rules'

When questioned in the fourth month by the integrity body, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in under 2:10, could not provide an explanation for the positive test.

While HCTZ has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, Chepngetich's sample showed an approximate level of 3,800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ below the minimal reporting level were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich 14 days prior, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, the record holder was presented with the previously mentioned suspicious evidence obtained from her mobile. In the meantime, contamination had also been ruled out by the AIU.

Chepngetich altered her story on July 31, stating that she had taken her domestic worker's medication - marked 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 sport's doping rules, such "carelessness" is deemed "indirect intent, for which an longer 48-month sanction applies".

An automatic one-year reduction was granted after Chepngetich confessed to the anti-doping rule violations inside the 20 days required.

The three-year ban started on April 19 - when Chepngetich agreed to a temporary ban - with the competitor's performances, honors, championships, appearance and prize money from March 14 lost.

"No one is above the rules."

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

"Marathon organizers should be commended for collectively funding anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering substance abuses performed by top competitors in their events."