Doping: Former New York Marathon winner Albert Korir banned for five years

London,

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.

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