Former New York Marathon winner Albert Korir banned for five years

LONDON, March 30 : Kenya's 2021 New York Marathon winner Albert Korir has been banned for five years after admitting to doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Monday.

The 31-year-old admitted anti-doping violations after testing positive for the prohibited substance CERA, an EPO-based construct, in three out-of-competition tests conducted in Kenya last October.

The sanction was initially for a mandatory four years but increased to six due to aggravating circumstances before being reduced by a year due to his early admission and acceptance of the punishment.

"The athlete has accepted the above consequences for his anti-doping rule violations and has expressly waived his right to have those consequences determined by the disciplinary tribunal at a hearing," the AIU said.

Korir will retain his 2021 New York Marathon title but the 2019 and 2023 runner-up was stripped of third place in last November's race. The ban will last until January 7, 2031.

Marathon running has been hit with a spate of doping cases in recent years, particularly from Kenya which is world-renowned for middle and long-distance runners.

The AIU said last September, before Kenya's women's marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich was banned for three years for anti-doping rule violations, that things had improved.