Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong of Kenya has been banned four years for using the banned blood-booster EPO.
Sumgong’s ban was announced by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, which ruled Sumgong ineligible from April 3.
The Rio gold medalist failed a Feb. 28 out-of-competition test. She declined to have her backup “B″ sample tested.
Sumgong argued at a tribunal that she tested positive for EPO after seeking treatment at a Kenyan hospital for an ectopic pregnancy. She said she was given a blood transfusion and other unknown medication by an unidentified doctor.
The anti-doping agency rejected the explanation after Sumgong failed to provide documents relating to her visit to the hospital.