World and Olympic marathon champion Jepchirchir suspended after positive doping test
World and Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for banned blood booster EPO, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Friday.
The suspension marks another setback for Kenyan athletics, which has faced increased scrutiny over doping violations. Jepchirchir's positive test was detected in a sample collected prior to her recent victory at the Sydney Marathon.
Career achievements
The highly-decorated athlete has an impressive resume including Olympic gold from the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a world record in the half-marathon. She has won four of the six World Marathon Majors, capturing Sydney (2026), London (2024), Boston (2022), and New York (2021).
Wider implications
More than 140 Kenyan athletes, including current women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich, have been suspended or banned by the AIU since 2017. The decision to award Nairobi the 2029 world championships is likely to increase scrutiny of the east African nation's anti-doping policies.
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