Japanese racewalker Koki Ikeda, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, has been banned for four years for using or attempting to use a banned drug, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced Friday, Reuters reported.
The 26-year-old athlete is no longer eligible to compete in the Japan Race Walking Championships on February 16, and his competition results from June 20, 2023, to November 1, 2024, have been disqualified.
Ikeda was initially provisionally suspended in November after an anti-doping violation was detected. He denied the accusations, and the case was referred to an appeals tribunal.
The suspension stems from abnormalities in blood samples collected on June 20, 2023, and between August 16 and September 13, 2023, which indicated possible blood manipulation, the AIU said.
Ikeda has the right to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).