Sofia Marathon winners Khapilina and Sbaai provisionally suspended by AIU for EPO
The 2020 Sofia Wizz Air Sofia marathon winners Viktoriia Khapilina of Ukrain and Youssef Sbaai of Morocco have been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after they tested positive for recombinant EPO in an in-competition test.
Khapilina won the women's race in a new Soffia marathon course record of 2:27:57, meanwhile, Sbaai set the men's course record of 2:13:03.
A month later, Sbaai also won the Varna Marathon in Bulgaria, and this way he got a total of ~10,000 EUR prize which includes bonuses for accumulated points in the Bulgarian national marathon chain called "Running as a way of life."
“The AIU has provisionally suspended Viktoriia Khapilina and Youssef Sbaai for the presence of recombinant EPO, in violation of World Athletics Anti-Doping rules following in-competition tests,” the AIU said in a statement.
