Kenyan athlete Alice Koigi was suspended for doping by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). When banned or provisionally suspended, athletes cannot race under any circumstances. Koigi decided to race anyway. She received prize money for her efforts; therefore, she has stolen from athletes who she finished in front of, who may have been racing clean. Koigi did this at least twice.
Reader Cian Ehrismann sent an email message to Athletics Illustrated, sharing that he noticed Koigi racing while suspended.
“I ran behind those two Kenyans on December 13 and got talking with Alice and asked her whether she was racing “tomorrow,” which she confirmed. I then asked her where are you from, Eldoret? To which she said, No, from Nairobi.
I finished just before them on December 13. You can see my face in the initial picture I sent to you.”
Koigi competed in the Penang Bridge International Marathon, taking third position on December 14, after her suspension began.
“In the women’s race, Eunice Nyawira Muchiri claimed first place, with Rholex Jelimo Kogo second and Alice Muthoni Koigi third,” the article reads.
Prize money
Cash is awarded to top finishers first through third. Malaysian RM 5000 is given to the winners.
In the 2025 event, the Men’s and Women’s Open Marathon overall winners each received RM25,000.
The top Malaysian male and female runners in the marathon each received RM5,000.
Historically, the total cash prize pool has been as high as RM 269,200, distributed among the top 10 finishers in each category.
Koigi raced the Yamaha Gen Blu Carnival Run in Malaysia
Koigi competed in the recent Yamaha Gen Blu Carnival Run in Malaysia. On December 13, 2025, Koigi crossed the finish line first in the 21km Women Open International, accepting the title and the RM 2,000 prize.
Official documents prove she knowingly defrauded the event organizers and fellow competitors.
According to the AIU decision (Case released 16 Dec 2025): On December 9, 2025, Koigi officially admitted to doping violations and accepted her ban.
Her ban began effectively on December 9, 2025.
Four days later (Dec. 13), despite knowing she was banned and ineligible to compete globally, she entered the Yamaha Gen Blu Run to collect the winner’s cash prize.
On Oct. 26 Oct. she tested positive for Methylprednisolone. On Dec. 9, she signed an admission of guilt. Therefore, the ban officially starts.
On Dec. 13 she raced against the ban in the Yamaha Gen Blu Open and took the win and the prize money.
This is not just a sports violation; it is financial fraud. She collected RM 2,000 that rightfully belongs to the second-place finisher, who may have raced clean. Additionally, the fourth-place finisher, Vu Khanh Linh, a Vietnamese athlete, walked away without prize money.
