Brimin Kipkorir has been provisionally suspended after tested positive for two banned substances, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Monday.
According to the AIU, an out-of-competition drug sample from Kipkorir contained the presence of EPO and furosemide — both on a list of prohibited items.
“The AIU has provisionally suspended Brimin Misoi Kipkorir (Kenya) for the Presence/Use of Prohibited Substances (EPO, Furosemide),” the AIU said in a statement. “This sample was collected out-of-competition on November 22 2024.”
Kipkorir, 35, will be prohibited from competition until the matter is resolved.
He broke the Sydney Marathon course record last September in 2:06.18 and is currently 26th on the world marathon rankings.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn that Brimin Misoi Kipkorir has failed an out of competition drugs test,” a statement from TCS Sydney Marathon said. “He is currently provisionally suspended from the competition pending the outcome of the case. The TCS Sydney Marathon along with its Abbott World Marathon Majors partner races is determined to make marathon running a safe haven from doping. We have a zero tolerance policy towards doping.
Kipkorir faces a lifetime ban from the Sydney Marathon and his last marathon was in December at the Taipei Marathon in Taiwan and he won in 2:11:41, after the drug test was collected.
His personal best is 2:04:53 and came at the Frankfurt Marathon in 2023, where he also won in 2022 — making him just one of six male competitors to win there multiple times.
EPO is a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production, while furosemide aides in decreasing fluid retention but in sports is linked to attempts to flush the body of a banned substances before drug testing.
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(Photo courtesy of the TCS Sydney Marathon)
