Peres Jepchirchir Suspended Over Alleged EPO Doping

Kenyan marathon star Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended after an anti-doping test reportedly detected erythropoietin (EPO), a banned substance that can improve an athlete’s endurance and performance.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which oversees integrity matters in international athletics, announced the suspension on Friday, October 23, 2026. The finding relates to an out-of-competition sample collected in Kenya before Jepchirchir won the Sydney Marathon in August.

The development is a major setback for the celebrated runner, whose achievements have made her one of Kenya’s most successful female marathon athletes.

Jepchirchir, 33, produced an impressive performance at the Sydney Marathon on August 30, finishing the women’s race in two hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds. She crossed the finish line more than three minutes ahead of compatriot Irine Cheptai.

Her victory added another major title to a career that includes Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021, the Boston Marathon in 2022, the London Marathon in 2024 and the World Athletics Marathon Championship in Tokyo in 2025.

EPO is a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells, allowing the body to carry more oxygen to working muscles. Its use is prohibited in competitive sport because it can provide an unfair advantage and pose serious health risks.

A provisional suspension means an athlete is temporarily barred from competing while the anti-doping case proceeds. It is not, by itself, a final decision that the athlete has committed a doping violation.

Jepchirchir’s case will now be handled through the applicable anti-doping process, which allows the athlete to respond to the findings and exercise her rights under the rules.

Her agent, Gianni Demadonna, expressed regret over the development and said athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs should be disqualified, according to reports.

The case comes as Kenya continues to face scrutiny over doping in athletics, despite the country’s long history of producing world-class distance runners.

Jepchirchir’s provisional suspension places uncertainty over the future of one of the country’s leading marathon stars as the anti-doping process continues. The final outcome will depend on the evidence and the decisions reached through the relevant procedures.

source:https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-10-23-jepchirchir-suspended-over-alleged-epo-doping