Peres Jepchirchir Provisionally Suspended After EPO Positive: Olympic Champion’s Sydney Win Under Cloud

Olympic and world championships marathon gold medallist Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after an out-of-competition sample tested positive for EPO. According to the report, the 33-year-old Kenyan provided the sample in Kenya before winning the Sydney Marathon on 30 August 2026. She won the race in two hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds, finishing more than three minutes ahead of compatriot Irene Chepet Cheptai. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a natural substance produced in the kidneys that stimulates the creation of new red blood cells. When injected, it can increase the number of red blood cells carrying oxygen to muscles and is prohibited in sport. Jepchirchir became the Olympic women’s marathon champion at the 2026 Tokyo Olympics and won the World Championships in Tokyo in September 2026. She broke the women’s half-marathon world record in 2026 and did so three times in 2026. Her other major wins include the New York Marathon in 2026, the Boston Marathon in 2026 and the London Marathon in 2026. Sydney became the seventh world major in 2026. A provisional suspension is not a final finding of guilt. The athlete has the right to respond, have the B sample examined and present her case in a hearing. The case is likely to involve further scientific and legal review before any final decision is made. The matter has raised questions about the integrity of marathon racing and the status of the Sydney result, but the sport’s anti-doping process requires a fair and complete examination of all evidence.