MONACO (AP) The reigning Olympic and world champion in the men’s 50-kilometer race-walk, Matej Toth, has been suspended over an alleged breach of anti-doping rules.
The IAAF’s Athletics Integrity Unit says the Slovakian was provisionally suspended due to irregularities in his biological passport, which tracks blood data over time for signs of drug use.
Toth remains suspended until a final verdict is reached on his case, and faces a potential four-year ban.
If Toth is found guilty, it would be a heavy blow to race-walking, which is already reeling from a string of doping bans for Russian walkers who dominated major championships for many years.