Kenyan world marathon champion Jepchirchir suspended for doping

Kenya's reigning world marathon champion and former Olympic gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Friday.

"The AIU has provisionally suspended reigning World and former Olympic champion, Peres Jepchirchir, after an out-of-competition sample, collected in Kenya prior to her recent Sydney Marathon victory, returned an adverse analytical finding for EPO," the organization said in a statement.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a prohibited substance that stimulates the production of red blood cells, increasing the body's capacity to transport oxygen and potentially improving endurance performance.

The AIU said the sample was collected in Kenya before Jepchirchir's victory at the Sydney Marathon in Australia earlier this year.

The provisional suspension prevents the athlete from competing while the case proceeds through the anti-doping disciplinary process. It does not constitute a final ruling on whether she committed an anti-doping rule violation.

Jepchirchir, 33, won the women's marathon title at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, adding to the Olympic gold medal she secured at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The Kenyan athlete is also a former world record holder in the half-marathon and has won four major international marathons.

According to the AIU, her victories include the New York Marathon in 2021, Boston Marathon in 2022, London Marathon in 2024 and Sydney Marathon in 2026.