Olympic Champion Jepchirchir Provisionally Suspended Over EPO

Olympic and world marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after an out-of-competition sample collected in Kenya before her Aug. 30 Sydney Marathon victory tested positive for EPO, a banned drug that boosts red blood cell production. The suspension is pending investigation and is not a final ruling. Jepchirchir, 33, has also won major marathons in New York, Boston and London; her representative said athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs should be disqualified. The case adds to scrutiny of Kenya’s anti-doping record, with more than 140 Kenyan athletes suspended or banned by the AIU since 2017.