Iranian Para-athlete Hamid Eslami has received a four-year doping ban ©Getty Images

Iranian Para-athlete Hamid Eslami has received a four-year suspension for committing an anti-doping rule violation.

Prohibited substance erythropoietin (EPO) was found in a sample provided by Eslami on August 17 in an out of competition test. 

As a result, Eslami will be suspended from October 14 2019 to October 14 2023. 

Eslami competes in the T11 category for athletes with visual impairments. 

He contested the men's 1500 metres T11 event at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games but was disqualified from his heat. 

Hamid Eslami was a competitor at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©IPC
Hamid Eslami was a competitor at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©IPC

"Eslami was part of a registered testing pool, a group of top-level athletes in specific Paralympic sports who take part in a year-round out-of-competition testing programme," said International Paralympic Committee anti-doping director James Sclater.

"The IPC has conducted more targeted out of competition tests on athletes as part of our increased investment in anti-doping activities.

"Athletes should be aware that even though competitions have been limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, the IPC continues its out of competition testing programme, especially in the lead up to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo." 

EPO is banned as it increases the production of red blood cells, thus increasing an athlete's capacity in endurance events.