Deba finished runner-up in the race to Jeptoo, who became the most high-profile athlete from her country to fail a drugs test when she tested positive for banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) in 2014.

Her time of 2 hours 19min 59sec makes her the course record holder, beating Kenyan Margaret Okayo who ran 2:20:43 in 2002.

"I feel great and really happy being named the 2014 Boston Marathon champion, the most prestigious marathon in the world, and I encourage all concerned stakeholders to work on a clean sport," said Deba, who lives in the Bronx in New York City with her husband and coach Worku Beyi.

Deba, a constant member of the John Hancock Elite Athlete Team in the Boston Marathon, finished third in 2015 with a time of 2:25:09 and seventh this year in 2:33:56.

Her 2014 victory set her personal record by more than three minutes.

"Buzunesh Deba's sub-2:20 performance in 2014 was a magnificent achievement," Tom Grilk, chief executive of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), said.

"To emerge victorious in the fastest women's race ever run in Boston was remarkable.

"We look forward to awarding her the praise she rightfully deserves in 2017."

Jeptoo recently had her doping ban doubled to four years after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal.

She was handed a two-year suspension by Athletics Kenya, which had been due to expire in October. 

An appeal was filed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) calling for a longer suspension.

The BAA has told Business Daily Africa it will use the resources at its disposal to recover the $171,000 (£139,000/€165,000) that Jeptoo won two years ago.

"We are exploring legal options and will take whatever steps are reasonable and necessary to ensure compliance," the organisation said in an e-mail.

Jeptoo had claimed she was prescribed banned substances at a local hospital after a road accident and had vowed to prove her innocence.

But she is currently banned until October 30, 2018, and was also handed a fine of CHF15,000 (£12,000/$15,000/€14,000) in contributions to the IAAF's legal fees and expenses.

The IAAF has stated Jeptoo must return all her winnings.

"The athlete will be required to reimburse all prize money and appearance fees if she wants to resume competition after the end of her ban in October 2018," an spokesperson from athletics’ world governing body said.

"Race organisers will be free to initiate recovery actions on their own initiative through normal legal channels."

Jeptoo's victory at the 2014 Chicago Marathon was also chalked off as a result of her wrongdoing, with Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba officially named the winner in October.

Organisers of the Chicago Marathon told the Business Daily Africa the $98,000 (£79,000/€94,000) prize money had not been paid Jeptoo as payments are subject to runners passing a doping test.