El-Hassan El-Abbassi has been given a four-year ban ©Getty Images

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has handed Bahrain's marathon runner El-Hassan El-Abbassi a four-year ban for doping and suspended Jamaican runner Christopher Taylor for allegedly evading, refusing or failing to submit to a sample collection.

El-Abbassi tested positive for a homologous blood transfusion after running in the marathon at the re-arranged Olympic Games in Tokyo on August 8 in 2021.

His case was deferred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport's anti-doping division which found against the 39-year-old, despite his claim the failed test was because of medical treatment he received.

He claimed he received a blood transfusion while in hospital in October 2020 and also had surgery performed in 2021.

Moroccan-born El-Abbassi became eligible to run for Bahrain in 2014 and won the Asian Games title over 10,000 metres in Incheon the same year.

He then won silver in the Asian Games marathon at Jakarta-Palembang 2018.

Christopher Taylor allegedly evaded, refused or failed to submit to a sample collection ©Getty Images
Christopher Taylor allegedly evaded, refused or failed to submit to a sample collection ©Getty Images

El-Abbassi was 25th in the Tokyo 2020 marathon, which was held in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo due to fears over the heat.

This result has now been disqualified.

The 23-year-old Taylor won a silver medal at last year's World Championships in Eugene as part of the Jamaican 4x400m relay team.

He won the 400m gold medal at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships last year.

In 2015, he was crowned world youth champion for one lap of the track.

The AIU announced a notice of allegation had been issued to Taylor.