Olympic Marathon Runner Suspended for Blood Doping After Tokyo Games

The International Testing Agency (ITA) said that El Hassan El Abbassi has been provisionally suspended following a test, reports Reuters. The test results revealed that the athlete carried out an authorized blood transfusion with compatible donor blood. However, the runner has the possibility to have his "B" sample examined.

El Abbassi finished 26th (2:15:56) in the Olympic marathon in Tokyo. He was the 4th athlete tested positive during the Tokyo Games after Kenyan sprinter Mark Odhiambo, Georgian shot putter Benik Abramyan and Bahraini of Moroccan origin Sadik Mikhou. In 2014, he had won the 10,000m title at the Asian Games in Incheon. The following year, he won the 10,000m title at the Pan Arab Athletics Championships.