Peres Jepchirchir provisionally suspended for EPO doping after a positive test conducted in Kenya

Kenyan athlete Peres Jepchirchir, 33, has been provisionally suspended for doping after an out-of-competition sample indicated the presence of EPO. The announcement was made by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), shortly after the athlete’s victory at the Sydney Marathon in August.

According to the AIU, the anti-doping test was conducted in Kenya, before the race won by Jepchirchir. The sample returned an “adverse analytical finding” for erythropoietin, a banned substance that can increase the body’s oxygen-carrying capacity.

The suspension is provisional and does not represent a final decision on an anti-doping rule violation. The case will be examined through the procedures set out in the regulations, and the athlete will have the opportunity to present her defence.

Jepchirchir is one of Kenya’s leading athletes. She won the Olympic marathon gold medal in Tokyo in 2021 and the world marathon title last year. The athlete was also the world record holder in the half marathon.

The case comes amid a period in which several Kenyan runners have recently been the subject of doping investigations or sanctions. Kenya is set to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029.