Kenya’s marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir provisionally banned by AIU
World marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya has been provisionally suspended by the AIU after testing positive for banned blood booster EPO.
Kenya’s world marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after an out-of-competition sample tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO.
The AIU said the sample, collected in Kenya before her victory at the Sydney Marathon in August, returned an adverse analytical finding for erythropoietin (EPO), a substance that increases the production of red blood cells.
The 33-year-old, a former Olympic champion, half-marathon world record holder and four-time World Marathon Majors winner, has not commented publicly on the case. Her agent, Gianni Demadonna, said in an emailed statement: “I can only say that I feel terrible about what happened and I think it’s only right that an athlete who uses performance enhancing drugs should be disqualified.”
Sydney Marathon organisers said they were “extremely disappointed” to learn of the provisional suspension, adding that Jepchirchir is entitled to due process and that they would make no further comment until the case concludes. The organisers stressed their commitment to clean sport, noting that increased out-of-competition testing has been carried out in partnership with the AIU and the other Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Jepchirchir dominated the women’s race in Sydney in August, finishing in 2:18:31, more than three minutes clear of her compatriot Irine Cheptai. Her career highlights include Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021 and major marathon victories in New York (2021), Boston (2022), London (2024) and Sydney (2026).
The case is the latest doping scandal to hit Kenyan athletics. Last year, women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich was banned for three years after admitting an anti-doping violation involving the prohibited diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, though her 2:09:56 record remained on the books as it was set before her positive test.
Jepchirchir remains provisionally suspended while proceedings continue, and the AIU has not announced any further details.
Source: Al Jazeera English — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.