American middle-distance runner Jonah Koech has received a three-year ban from the sport due to blood doping violations. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) reported that Koech's misconduct was revealed through "highly atypical blood values in his athlete biological passport (ABP)."

The ABP serves as a tool to monitor an athlete's blood parameters over time, allowing authorities to detect potential doping even in the absence of a positive drug test.

Koech’s rise to prominence came when he unexpectedly clinched the title in the men's 1500m at the US Outdoor Championships last year, clocking an impressive meet record of 3 minutes 30.17 seconds. He finished ahead of notable competitors including Ethan Strand and Cole Hocker, the latter being the 2024 Olympic gold medallist.

However, following the doping violation, Koech has now officially lost his championship title. The 29-year-old athlete accepted the ban after acknowledging the use of a prohibited substance and/or method, as stated by USADA.