Copenhagen Marathon champion suspended for use of EPO

On Wednesday, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced the provisional suspension of Eritrean marathoner Berhane Tesfay after he tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned red blood cell booster, following his victory at the 2025 Copenhagen Marathon on May 11.Tesfay, 38, won the race in 2:08:25—a performance that would have earned him a €8,000 prize (approximately C$13,000). However, the Copenhagen Marathon enforces a rule that prize money is not awarded until an athlete’s anti-doping tests are cleared. Given the positive result, Tesfay’s payout is unlikely, unless he can provide evidence to the AIU explaining the irregularities found in his sample.

EPO is a naturally occurring hormone in the body, but synthetic versions have been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since the 1990s due to their performance-enhancing effects. EPO boosts red blood cell production, which can improve endurance and aid recoveryTesfay also represented Eritrea at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 64th in the men’s marathon with a time of 2:18:50. He is now the second member of Eritrea’s four-man marathon squad from the Paris Games to face suspension for doping. His teammate, Kibrom Weldemicael, was pulled from the Olympic Village just days before the race after testing positive for EPO in the lead-up to the Games.

In December, Weldemicael received a six-year ban from the AIU for his violation.