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Olympic silver medal race walker Koki Ikeda banned 4 years for doping

MONACO -- Japanese race walker Koki Ikeda, an Olympic silver medalist, has been banned for four years for doping, the Athletic Integrity Unit said Friday.

The athletics watchdog said a disciplinary and appeals tribunal ruled that the 26-year-old Ikeda had broken anti-doping rules.

Ikeda has been provisionally banned from competition since November 2024, with his results disqualified since June 2023.

Doping authorities say abnormalities were detected in his blood samples taken in June, August and September 2023. The AIU alleged the abnormalities "were indicative of blood manipulation."

Ikeda won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and silver at the 2022 world championships.