Olympic and world champion marathon runner Peres Jepchirchir involved in doping allegations

Peres Jepchirchir, the Kenyan long-distance runner, has been provisionally suspended from competition due to a positive EPO test prior to her victory at the Sydney Marathon. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced that the banned substance was detected in a blood sample taken before the race. Jepchirchir is known for her achievements at the Tokyo Olympics, where she won the women's marathon. Currently, 148 Kenyan athletes are under valid suspension, making Kenya the nation with the second-highest number of banned athletes. Despite these doping cases, Kenya has recently been awarded the opportunity to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029.