Former New York Marathon winner Albert Korir handed five-year ban after doping admission

Albert Korir, third in last year’s New York Marathon and the winner in 2021, has been banned for five years after admitting to doping.

The 32-year-old Kenyan tested positive for CERA – a blood-boosting substance and modern variant of EPO – in three out-of-competition tests in October 2025.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) have published the detailed decision here, with the three tests in question taking place on 3 October 2025 (urine sample), 13 October 2025 (blood) and 21 October 2025 (urine).

Presence of CERA

The decision reads: “Following analysis of the above Samples by the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) accredited laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden (the “Laboratory”) the following Adverse Analytical Findings were reported in the Samples, based on:

“8.1.1. the presence of Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (“CERA”) in the First
Sample (the “First Adverse Analytical Finding”);

“8.1.2. the presence of CERA in the Second Sample (the “Second Adverse Analytical
Finding”); and

“8.1.3. the presence of CERA in the Third Sample (the “Third Adverse Analytical Finding”).”

Ban expires in 2031

The four-year ban was increased to six years because: “This constitutes clear evidence of the Athlete’s use of ‘a Prohibited Substance on multiple occasions’ which is expressly identified in the definition of Aggravating Circumstances,” said the verdict.

But the AIU reduced that to five years as Korir admitted to the violations.

It means his ban will expire on 7 January 2031 and all his results since October 2025 will now be disqualified, including his third place in the New York Marathon last November.

That means the final place on the podium now goes to Britain’s Patrick Dever who ran 2:08:58 on his marathon debut, just one second behind Korir.