2021 New York Marathon champion Albert Korir handed five-year doping ban
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 30.03.26. | 15:53
The tests were conducted while he was preparing for another New York race
Kenyan marathoner Albert Korir has been handed a five-year ban from athletics after admitting to doping violations, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed on Monday, 30 April.
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The 2021 New York City Marathon champion tested positive for Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator (CERA), a potent blood-boosting substance and modern variant of EPO, in three separate samples collected in Kenya in October 2025.
The tests were conducted while he was preparing for another New York race.
According to the AIU, the presence of the prohibited substance in multiple samples constituted “clear evidence” of repeated doping, qualifying as aggravating circumstances under anti-doping regulations.
Korir did not possess a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), and no irregularities were found in the testing process, confirming the violation.
The 32-year-old admitted to the charges on January 12, 2026, and accepted the sanctions without requesting a formal hearing. His cooperation saw his initial six-year ban reduced by one year, resulting in a five-year suspension that will run until January 2031.
As part of the ruling, all of Korir’s results from October 3, 2025, onwards have been disqualified. This includes his third-place finish at the November 2025 New York City Marathon, with the forfeiture of all associated medals, prize money, points, and appearance fees.
However, Korir will retain his 2021 New York City Marathon title, which remains the highlight of his career. He won the race in a time of 2:08:22, earning approximately Ksh13 million (USD 100,000) and securing his first Abbott World Marathon Major victory.
Before the ban, Korir had built a strong résumé on the global stage. He was a consistent performer in New York, finishing on the podium five times, including runner-up in 2019 and 2023 and third in 2024. His personal best of 2:06:57, set during the 2023 edition of the race, underlined his status among the world’s elite marathoners.
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Beyond New York, Korir also enjoyed success at the Ottawa Marathon, where he claimed victories in 2019 and again in May 2025.
Korir’s case adds to a growing list of Kenyan athletes facing sanctions over doping violations in recent months. Among them is Ruth Chepngetich, who received a three-year ban in October after admitting to an anti-doping violation.
Chepngetich, the women’s marathon world record holder, had made history at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024, clocking 2:09:56 to become the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier.
She later tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a sample collected on March 14, 2025, leading to her suspension by the AIU.
Despite her sanction, Chepngetich has been allowed to retain her world record, as it was set prior to her positive test.