Top marathons apply financial penalties for doping

LONDON (AP) - Anti-doping penalties will include financial punishments for elite runners competing in the world's leading marathons.

Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York, who are the six members of the World Marathon Majors series, can now suspend payment and demand repayment of prize money, appearance fees and performance bonuses from athletes found guilty of doping offenses.

The marathon group says the new penalties are part of "continuing effort to be a leader in the anti-doping movement, having gone above and beyond standard drug testing at its events.''

Paula Radcliffe, the women's marathon world record holder, says in a statement released by WMM on Friday that she "would love to see all major events follow its lead.''

The Tokyo Marathon is scheduled for Sunday.