World

Marathon champion Jepchirchir provisionally suspended after positive EPO test

The Kenyan world and Olympic champion has been banned from competition after testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Marathon champion Jepchirchir provisionally suspended after positive EPO test — Archive photoPhoto: Leonhard Lenz · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Peres Jepchirchir, the world and Olympic marathon champion, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) following a positive test for EPO, the unit announced on Friday. The 33-year-old tested positive for the banned substance in an out-of-competition sample.

According to multiple sources, the sample that returned the adverse analytical finding was taken before Jepchirchir's victory at the Sydney Marathon. One source reports that she won the Sydney Marathon by 3 minutes, marking her as the first woman to finish in that event.

Jepchirchir won Olympic gold in the marathon at the Tokyo Games in 2021, which were delayed from their original schedule. She also holds the title of world marathon champion.

The provisional suspension represents a significant development for Kenyan athletics. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a banned blood booster commonly used to enhance endurance performance in distance running.

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