Michael Saruni: Kenyan Runner Slapped With Four-Year Ban Over Doping Trickery

• Kenyan runner Michael Saruni has been slapped with a four-year ban
• The African indoor 800m record-holder tricked Anti-Doping officials
• The 28-year-old athlete insists ADAK did not adequately summon him

Former holder of the African indoor 800m record, Michael Saruni, has been handed a four-year ban after allegations emerged that he attempted to deceive anti-doping authorities during a drug test.

The 28-year-old athlete is among 44 sports personalities who have faced bans ranging from a year to lifetime sanctions by an Anti-Doping Association of Kenya (ADAK) disciplinary panel.

These measures aim to combat the widespread issue of doping in Kenyan sports.

Saruni was found guilty of misconduct during Kenyan trials for the 2022 World Championships and the Commonwealth Games, where he was accused of avoiding sample collection and attempting to evade testers.

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Saruni is said to have enlisted an impersonator to provide a sample on his behalf.

Despite being provisionally suspended in January 2023, the runner maintained that he had not been adequately summoned by the testers, as reported by Citizen.

His ban will remain in effect until August 30, 2027.

Saruni's performance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics saw him finish sixth in the 800m semi-final, failing to advance to the final round.

This development follows closely after the provisional suspension of fellow Kenyan athlete Titus Ekiru by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Ekiru, renowned as the sixth-fastest marathoner globally, faced suspension due to banned substances and evidence of tampering with samples, as reported by AIU.

The AIU revealed that the athlete's alleged offences were uncovered during investigations into doping violations following his marathon victories in the Generali Milano Marathon and the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon in 2021.

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Despite his remarkable success in multiple races, Ekiru's achievements have been scrutinised due to these doping allegations.

The AIU's actions highlight a broader trend, with nearly 100 Kenyan athletes, predominantly long-distance runners, receiving bans over the past five years, underscoring the ongoing battle against doping in the nation's sports scene.

Kenya’s Samwel Imeta suspended for doping violations

Sports Brief in June 2023 reported on Samwel Imeta's provisional suspension for doping violations.

Imeta was among the 20 athletes suspended by ADAK as the country stepped up efforts to eliminate the vice.

The 24-year-old tested positive for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids during the Athletics Kenya meet at the Nyayo National Stadium on February 24.