Albert Korir has been on the podium of the New York Marathon five times. But now, he finds himself in hot water. He was provisionally suspended from the sport in January 2026. But after nearly 2 months, a ban notice has come his way, proving that the allegations were true after all.

On March 30, 2026, the AIU confirmed a five-year ban for Albert Korir after a full review of his case. The ban is backdated to January 8, 2026, and will run until January 7, 2031, after Korir admitted to doping.

This decision will keep Korir out of competition during the prime of his career. But that’s not all he faces.

Financial repercussions: More than KES 5 million in prize money earned during his recent racing circuit have all been forfeited now.

Result cancellation: All of Korir’s results from October 3, 2025, onward, including medals, titles, and prize money, have been disqualified. He will, however, retain his 2021 New York Marathon title, though his third-place finish in New York last November is now void.

Investigation: It began in October 2025, when Korir submitted multiple out-of-competition samples in Kenya. The first test was done on October 3, and then the second was done on October 13, and another urine test was done on October 21. Interestingly, all tested positive for CERA, which is a banned substance that enhances endurance by increasing red blood cells.

Also, the AIU confirmed that there were no errors in testing, and as Korir had not received a Therapeutic Use Exemption for CERA. So, initially, he was provisionally suspended on January 8, and by January 12, 2026, he admitted the violations.

However, his early admission triggered a one-year reduction from an initial six-year penalty.

Following the ruling, Patrick Dever has been upgraded to third position at the 2025 New York City Marathon. The Brit ran 2:08:58 on his marathon debut in NYC, which was just one second behind Korir but will now officially claim the podium spot.

Sure, Korir’s career has seen notable highs, including a victory at the 2017 Vienna City Marathon and multiple podium finishes at the New York Marathon in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. But now, with this five-year suspension, he will be 37 when the ban ends and hence missing the peak of his career. Interestingly, he is not the only Kenyan athlete recently sanctioned by the AIU.

AIU hands a two-year ban to Marathon runner Nancy Jelagat Meto

On March 17, another Marathon runner faced a ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit. Nancy Jelagat Meto was suspended for two years after a positive test in an out-of-competition sample.

Meto’s ban came as a result of a sample collected in June 2024 in Kenya, where her urine tested positive for the presence of furosemide, a prohibited diuretic and masking agent according to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances.

Sure, Furosemide is not a performance-enhancing drug directly, but it is banned as it can be used to mask the presence of other banned substances. However, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, through Meto, notified the finding after the first positive test. She first challenged the notification procedure and then went to the High Court of Kenya.

Due to Meto being an international-level athlete, the AIU eventually took over results management. She was allowed to seek a B sample analysis, examining lab records and either challenging the charge.  Then, on March 13, she signed an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences form.

By the terms of her agreement, the two-year ban on Meto expired on February 5, 2026, and all her performances since June 12, 2024, are disqualified.

Both Korir and Meto now face forfeited results, financial losses, and career disruptions, while upgraded athletes like Patrick Dever claim their due podium spots. With no appeals pending as of March 30, 2026, these cases appear finalized, though only time will tell if further challenges arise.