Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, the gold medalist in the women’s marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has received a provisional suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.

According to British media outlet BBC on the 23rd (Korea Standard Time), the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an independent body under World Athletics, announced that a prohibited substance—erythropoietin (EPO)—was detected in Jepchirchir’s doping test sample, prompting her provisional suspension.

Jepchirchir underwent a doping test in Kenya ahead of her scheduled appearance at the Sydney Marathon in Australia last August, and EPO was detected in the sample collected at that time.

EPO is a protein hormone produced by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production, thereby enhancing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. While administering EPO can improve endurance, excessive use increases the risk of thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

Jepchirchir is a prominent star in women’s marathon running. She broke the women's half marathon world record three times in 2020 and claimed victory at the 2025 World Athletics Championships following her triumph at the Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, she secured victories at the 2021 New York Marathon, the 2022 Boston Marathon, the 2024 London Marathon, and the Sydney Marathon earlier this year.

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]