The PDF is a very good read. Saruni was approached by a female tester after the race. He was obviously shocked at the situation and desperately tried to think of a way to avoid being tested. He realized he had a friend in the stadium, a non-athlete who was a virtual lookalike, including height and dreadlocks. Saruni started talking to friends under guise of normalcy, but it was hatching the plot.
Saruni earlier had told the female tester that he had tested positive for COVID a week earlier. Approaching the washroom, Saruni began coughing volently and dashed into a stall, shutting the door behind him. The female tester entered the washroom and saw which stall he entered. Sensing the awkwardness, she summoned a male official and informed him of the situation. That official saw two males quickly change stalls. When he told the person in the pinpointed stall to come out, that guy spoke briefly then dashed away and climbed a fence. A photo was taken as he tried to escape.
Two guys dashed away in total. One slowed down after about a minute and was caught. He gave a false name. His phone revealed the true name. He admitted that the other guy who ran away was Michael Saruni.
Saruni claimed that it was all a case of mistaken identity. He said he was never approached after the race. He insisted that all he did was walk to his hotel and learned of the situation later. But his explanations contained the typical inconsistencies and illogic of someone trying to weasel out of a situation. Why didn't he call his friend? What about the money? Why was his phone turned off during the time in question?
The Kenyan report describes this in excellent detail. The report itself is very impressive and more than flies in the face of those here who try to claim that the testing procedures and emphasis in Kenya are laughable to the point of non-existent.
The female tester spent 30-31 minutes with Saruni. She identified him via Google facial likeness before the race, then watched him wave to the crowd when he was announced prior to the race. The bib number he was assigned matched the bib number of the athlete who waved. Saruni acknowledged wearing that bib number.
Saruni tried to base his case on the weak identification process, saying his photo was never taken. He delayed the hearing repeatedly, to the point it didn't take place until March 2023. The board in question was fed up, to the point it emphasized that this would be the last delay from either side that would be tolerated.
During the hearing Saruni's stance remained the same. The document describes it as simple: This is a case of mistaken identity. I was there. I raced. I wore the bib number in question. I was never approached by a tester. I walked back to my hotel.
The Kenyan court rejected Saruni's claim, largely because there were 4 attendants, including the tester, who provided similar accounts that conflicted with Saruni's version. He was given the 4 year ban.
This situation serves to point out what I've long maintained, that testing situation and especially the missed tests are highly dependent on the caliber and persistence of the tester assigned. This lady did a reasonably good job, to the point it was upheld by the Kenyan bureau. However, she erred by not quickly taking his picture and also by failing to secure that washroom once he dashed inside. Obviously these tests occur at all different times and locations, many of which will be familiar to the athlete but not the tester. The doping agencies need to do a far more thorough job of preparation and placing the odds in their favor, even if it means two testers assigned in certain cases like this one. Authorities and courts everywhere understand that flight risk can vary to substantial degree.