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Marathoner Banned 5 Years for Doping
30 Mar
Summary
- Albert Korir received a five-year suspension for three doping violations.
- His results since October 3, 2025, including a third-place NYC finish, are voided.
- The banned substance found was methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (CERA).
Albert Korir, the 2021 New York City Marathon champion, has been handed a five-year ban from the sport after testing positive three times in October 2025 for methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (CERA). The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced Korir's provisional suspension on January 12, 2026, for the use of the banned EPO-based substance.
Korir's disqualification means his third-place finish in the 2025 NYC Marathon, which concluded on November 2, 2025, is now void. His suspension is backdated to January 8, 2026, the date he was formally notified of the positive tests. The AIU report confirmed positive samples from October 3, October 13, and October 21, 2025.
The 32-year-old Kenyan athlete, who also achieved second place in the NYC Marathon in 2019 and 2023, admitted to anti-doping rule violations on January 12, 2026, accepting the consequences. He had previously competed in the Boston Marathon from 2022 to 2024, with his best performance being fourth place in 2023, and won the 2025 Ottawa Marathon in May 2025.
