Kenyan marathon runner Albert Korir suspended for five years after testing positive for EPO

Kenyan marathon runner Albert Korir, winner of the 2021 New York City Marathon, has been suspended for five years following a positive doping test, as announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The 32-year-old athlete tested positive for a synthetic derivative of erythropoietin (EPO), a banned substance that increases red blood cell production to artificially enhance endurance. According to the AIU, Korir admitted to the violation after being provisionally suspended in January 2026. His initial six-year ban was reduced to five years due to his admission and acceptance of the sanction. The suspension runs from 8 January 2026 to 7 January 2031. In addition to his New York victory, Korir won the Ottawa Marathon in 2019 and 2025. This case marks another setback for Kenyan athletics, despite the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stating last October that the country had made significant progress in anti-doping efforts, avoiding international sanctions. Operation Harry Potter: Four arrested in flagrante delicto for trafficking substances and doping. Effective prison sentences for Adriano Quintanilha and Nuno Ribeiro in the W52-FC Porto doping scheme.