Anouar El Ghouz, a 2:10:38 marathon runner, has been suspended for “Evading, Refusing or Failing to submit to Sample Collection by an Athlete.”
He had finished the Riyadh Marathon on February 8 this year. A doping control officer approached and informed the Moroccan of the requirement to be tested.
It is a bizarre story of El Ghouz pretending to be too tired to submit a blood test. But he was willing to submit a urine test. Then, he left the post-race medical area even though it was made clear that he must submit a blood test or face consequences. He left, came back and left again, quickly.
The 35-year-old then made up a story that his wife was hit by a car. The accident allegedly happened within the compound where they live. She was fine. There was no report made, and she could not identify the car or the driver, who she claims left the scene.
There was no car. His wife was not hit as he fabricated the story to establish a motive to rush off to the airport and fly home. The story was made up to evade a test. El Ghouz later admitted fault and had his appealable suspension reduced by one year. So, he is suspended for three.
El Ghouz ran his personal best at the 2024 Riyadh Marathon and came back for more in 2025. He has a history of running 2:13 to 2:18, then at 34 ran a personal best. At 35 ran 2:11:27, less than a minute off his all-time best mark.
His marathon best at 34 was a better performance points-wise than any of his other results at various distances.
