Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning world marathon champion, has been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after testing positive for EPO. The Kenyan athlete tested positive in an out-of-competition sample collected before her Sydney Marathon victory. Jepchirchir secured the win with a time of 2:18:31, marking her first race of the year.

The 33-year-old athlete, who also won the Tokyo Olympics gold medal, can request analysis of the B sample. The case will proceed based on the subsequent investigation. Her representative expressed disappointment, stating that athletes using performance-enhancing drugs should be disqualified. Read more racing coverage.

This suspension follows similar cases involving other Kenyan athletes, including Jemima Sumgong and Ruth Chepngetich, both of whom faced bans for EPO and HCTZ use, respectively. Despite these bans, their records and titles remain intact. Related: Olympic Marathon Champion Suspended for Doping.

This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Athletics Weekly. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.