🔗 Share this article

Women's marathon global champion the athlete has been banned for three years after the runner acknowledged doping infractions.

The record holder was temporarily banned in July following a failed test for Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - a prohibited substance used commonly as a concealing drug - on 14 March.

Chepngetich's achievements which occurred before that sample - including her global best time of 2:09:56 in the Chicago event in October 2024 - will remain valid.

The sports governing body had requested a four-year ban but the 31-year-old punishment was reduced to three years because she confessed to the violations.

Nonetheless, the AIU will keep examining evidence from Chepngetich's phone which it found suggest "strong grounds that her positive test may have been intentional" - including communications dating back to the year 2022.

"This matter concerning the failed test for HCTZ has been settled, but the AIU will keep looking into the questionable evidence found on Chepngetich's phone to determine if any further infractions have occurred."

'No one is exempt from regulations'

When interviewed in April by the AIU, Chepngetich, the initial female to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 10 minutes, could not provide an explanation for the failed test.

While the substance has a lowest detectable limit of 20 ng/mL in urine, the athlete's test showed an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/mL.

Small amounts of HCTZ under the detection threshold were also identified in a sample taken from Chepngetich two weeks earlier, on February 28.

At a later interview on July 11, Chepngetich was shown the previously mentioned questionable proof acquired from her mobile. In the meantime, accidental exposure had also been ruled out by the AIU.

The athlete changed her explanation on July 31, stating that she had used her domestic worker's medication - labeled as being HCTZ - after becoming ill 48 hours prior to the failed test.

The unit had "major doubts about the reliability of the new version of events" and, in the context of the athletics' anti-doping rules, such "recklessness" is deemed "implied intention, for which an increased four-year sanction is applicable".

An standard 12-month decrease was applied after the runner confessed to the doping rule violations within the specified 20-day period.

The 36-month suspension commenced on April 19 - when Chepngetich accepted a voluntary provisional suspension - with the competitor's results, awards, titles, participation and prize money since March 14 lost.

"Nobody is exempt from regulations."

"Although unfortunate for those who had faith in this runner, this is how the system is supposed to work."

"Marathon organizers should be commended for jointly supporting anti-doping efforts capable of uncovering doping violations performed by elite athletes in their events."