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Shame as former New York City Marathon champion is suspended
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 12.01.26. | 12:08
The five-time New York City Marathon podium finisher returned a positive result for CERA, which is is listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency among banned peptide hormones and related substances
Kenyan distance running star Albert Korir has been placed under provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit after returning a positive test for a prohibited substance, making him the second Kenyan athlete to face an anti-doping case in 2026.
Korir, who famously won the 2021 New York City Marathon and has finished on the podium five times in the event, tested positive for CERA, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency under peptide hormones and related compounds. The 33-year-old, who holds a marathon personal best of 2:06:57, is now awaiting a formal determination from the AIU.
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His suspension comes only days after Kenyan road runner Alice Koigi was handed a two-year ban for a separate doping violation.
Koigi tested positive for methylprednisolone, a prohibited glucocorticoid, following an in-competition sample collected at the Jakarta Running Festival on 26 October 2025.
The result was confirmed by a WADA-accredited laboratory in Bangkok.
Koigi later admitted to taking a banned substance after failing to fully disclose medical treatment she had received before the race.
She accepted responsibility on 9 December 2025, which became the start date of her suspension, with all her results from 26 October disqualified.
As it was her first offence and there was no evidence of deliberate doping, the standard two-year penalty was applied.
Korir’s case could also have competitive implications for the 2025 New York City Marathon, where he finished third, just ahead of American runner Conner Mantz.
Should his positive test be linked to that race and the suspension upheld, Mantz could be promoted to the podium positions.
Korir has finished in the top three at the New York Marathon five times, including his memorable victory in 2021.
The AIU has so far not released further details on the exact timing of Korir’s test, but the case has once again cast a spotlight on Kenya’s ongoing struggle with doping, which has seen several high-profile athletes sanctioned in recent years, including former world marathon record holder Ruth Chepng’etich, who was banned in October 2025.
The latest developments underline the continued pressure on Kenyan athletics as authorities intensify efforts to protect the integrity of the sport.
