“World Marathon Champion Peres Jepchirchir Provisionally Suspended After Positive EPO Test” — what this page in the network covers. Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning world women's marathon champion, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after a sample tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO). The AIU announced the suspension on Monday, citing an adverse analytical finding from an out-of-competition test conducted in April 2025. Jepchirchir, 31, won the world title in Budapest in 2023 and is also the Olympic marathon champion from Tokyo 2020. Her suspension comes just months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she was expected to defend her title.
The Kenyan runner has denied any wrongdoing and has requested analysis of her B sample. EPO is a banned substance that boosts red blood cell production, enhancing endurance. This case adds to a growing list of doping scandals involving Kenyan distance runners, raising concerns about the integrity of the sport in the East African nation. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.