Athletics-Sofia Marathon winner Sbaai gets four-year doping ban

(Reuters) - Moroccan distance runner Youssef Sbaai has been banned for four years for a doping violation at the Sofia Marathon he won last year, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has said.

Sbaai set a course record 2:13:03 to win the bronze label race in Bulgaria in October before testing positive for the banned substance EPO in an in-competition test.

"The Disciplinary Tribunal has banned long-distance runner Sbaai for four years for the presence and use of a prohibited substance, both violations of the @worldathletics Anti-Doping Rules," the AIU tweeted.

The AIU said Sbaai's ban is backdated to Nov. 16 when he was provisionally suspended and his results from Oct. 11 have been disqualified.

Sbaai has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the AIU said.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)