Peres Jepchirchir provisionally suspended after EPO positive in out-of-competition test

Olympic and world marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after an out-of-competition sample returned an adverse analytical finding for EPO. The sample was provided before she won the Sydney Marathon on 30 August 2026. The 33-year-old Kenyan won the race in 2:18:31. The AIU said the sample was collected in Kenya before the race. A provisional suspension is not a final finding; the athlete has the right to respond and the case must go through the disciplinary process. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a natural substance produced in the kidneys that stimulates the creation of new red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to muscles, so EPO can be misused to improve endurance. When injected, it is detectable in urine or blood only for a short window, which is why out-of-competition testing is important. Jepchirchir provided the sample before the Sydney race, so the case concerns testing conducted in the build-up to the event. Jepchirchir won the women's marathon at the 2026 Tokyo Olympics and returned to the Japanese capital to win the World Championships in September 2026. She broke the women's half-marathon world record in 2026 and three times in 2026. Her major marathon wins include New York in 2026, Boston in 2026, London in 2026 and Sydney in 2026. Sydney became the seventh world marathon major in 2026, adding significance to her victory there. In Sydney, Jepchirchir beat compatriot Irene Chepet Cheptai by more than three minutes. The margin underlined her strength on the day, but the result is now under scrutiny because the sample was provided before the race. Under anti-doping rules, the athlete can request analysis of the B sample and present her case. The disciplinary panel will consider the evidence, expert reports and arguments from both sides before reaching a conclusion. If the case is proven, the consequences could be serious for her career, including questions over titles, sponsorship, future races and records. If she clears her name, questions may arise about the damage caused during the provisional suspension. The case is also a wider test of athletics integrity systems, which have increasingly focused on endurance events and marathon running. For now, the known facts are the positive EPO sample, the pre-race collection in Kenya and the provisional suspension. A final decision will depend on the formal process and the hearing.