Rabat, A high profile marathon runner El Mahjoub Dazza of Morocco has been suspended for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to anomalies in his biological passport.

"The World Athletes Disciplinary Tribunal has banned long-distance runner El Mahjoub Dazza of Morocco for four years with effect from 10 January 2020 for an Athlete Biological Passport violation under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules," AIU said on their Twitter handle.

Dazza had set a Morrocan national record of 2:05:26 at the 2018 Valencia marathon. Last year, he won Prague marathon with 2:05:58 and clocked 2:07:10 to win the Fukuoka marathon.

It is reported that the 29-year-old was checked on the eve of his victory in Prague on May 9, 2019, and since then four other checks of his haematological profile were carried out.

The experts had unanimously concluded the existence of blood manipulation, in particular the day before the Prague marathon.

Dazza now has 30 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for this suspension which took effect on January 10 this year.