Kenyan marathon queen Peres Jepchirchir has been suspended by the AIU after a sample returned a positive result for the banned blood booster EPO.
Kenyan distance running has been hit with a major shock. Reigning women's world marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after one of her samples tested positive for EPO.
EPO, or erythropoietin, is a banned substance that boosts the blood's capacity to carry oxygen, which is why it has long been a target of anti-doping authorities in endurance sport. The AIU, which polices doping in athletics, has barred Jepchirchir from competing while her case is processed.
A provisional suspension is not a final verdict. It is an interim measure, and the athlete has the right to respond to the charge, challenge the findings and have the case heard before any sanction is confirmed. Until that process plays out, the outcome remains unresolved.
The case lands hard in a country that has produced some of the greatest road runners on the planet and has worked to repair its anti-doping reputation in recent years. As a world champion, Jepchirchir carries enormous profile, so the fallout will be felt well beyond one athlete's career. Afroballers will track the case as official updates come in.
