PARIS: Tokyo Olympics racewalking silver medallist Koki Ikeda has been banned for four years for using or attempting to use a banned drug, the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Friday.

Ikeda will not be allowed to participate in the Japan Race Walking Championships on Feb 16, and all his competitive results between June 20, 2023 and Nov 1, 2024 are disqualified.

The 26-year-old Japanese was provisionally suspended for a doping rule violation in November, and the matter was referred to an appeals tribunal after Ikeda denied the charge.

`Specifically, the matter concerns abnormalities detected in blood samples collected from the Athlete on June 20, 2023 and during the period between Aug 16 and Sept 13 2023, which are alleged to indicate blood manipulation,` the AIU said in a statement.

Ikeda can appealtothe Court of Arbitration for Sport.-Reuters