Why is the reigning marathon world champion suspended?

Peres Jepchirchir, a former half marathon world record holder and the reigning world marathon champion, won the Sydney Marathon on the thirtieth of August.

The Athletics Integrity Unit says an out-of-competition sample, collected in Kenya prior to her recent Sydney Marathon victory, returned an adverse analytical finding for EPO. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production and boosts the body's oxygen-carrying capacity and endurance. The finding came from a test taken before that race.

Kenya has a long doping record, with more than 140 athletes suspended or banned since 2017. She is provisionally suspended, so she cannot race until a final hearing decides her case. This is a provisional suspension, not a final verdict.