Race walker and Olympic silver medalist Koki Ikeda suspended 4 years for doping

Silver medalist Koki Ikeda, of Japan, poses during the medal ceremony for the men’s 20km race walk at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo.
| Photo Credit: AP

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

The athletics watchdog said that 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 of 2023. The AIU alleged the abnormalities “were indicative of blood manipulation.”

Ikeda won silver at the 2012 Tokyo Olympics and silver at the 2022 world championships.