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Australian athlete Peter Bol has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance.<\/span><\/p>\n Bol, who finished fourth in the 800m at the Tokyo Olympics, returned an adverse finding for erythropoietin (EPO) at an out-of-competition test in October. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The 28-year-old protested his innocence in a statement and said he had requested analysis of his ‘B’ sample.<\/span><\/p>\n “I ask that everyone in Australia believe me and let the process play out”, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n “It is critically important to convey with the strongest conviction that I am innocent and have not taken this substance as I am accused.<\/span><\/p>\n “To be clear I have NEVER in my life purchased, researched, possessed, administered or used synthetic EPO or any other prohibited substance.”<\/span><\/p>\n Athletics Australia, who handed out the provisional suspension, said he is not allowed to train at a national or club level, compete, receive funding or use official facilities.<\/span><\/p>\n A statement added that Bol, who won silver in the 800m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, is “entitled to a fair hearing process to determine whether or not an anti-doping rule violation has been committed”.<\/span><\/p>\n EPO increases red blood cell mass, allowing the body to transport more oxygen to muscles and increase stamina and performance.<\/span><\/p>\n