Olympic marathon silver medallist Kirwa suspended for doping

FILE PHOTO: 2016 Rio Olympics - Athletics - Women's Marathon - Sambodromo - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 14/08/2016. Bahrain's Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa celebrates after finishing second at the Women's Marathon during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Sambodromo in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016. REUTERS/Jonannes Eisele/Pool

(Reuters) - Bahrain's Olympic women's marathon silver medallist Eunice Kirwa has been provisionally suspended after failing a doping test, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said in a statement.

Kenyan-born Kirwa, who switched allegiance to Bahrain in 2013 and finished second at the Rio Olympics in 2016, tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned blood-boosting hormone that improves endurance.