The CAS to substitute for the All-Russia Athletics Federation in adjudicating eight Anti-Doping Rule Violations

Press Release

26 February 2016 – The cases of Russian racewalkers Vera Sokolova, Elmira Alembekova, Ivan Noskov, Mikhail Ryzhov and Denis Strelkov who all tested positive for EPO at the Saransk race walking centre on 2 June 2015 will be handled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. In doing so, CAS will act as a sole instance decision making authority, substituting for the All Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) whose operations have been suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The cases have been brought before the CAS on the basis of an agreement between the parties which serves to ensure a timely resolution of the cases with one sole instance, and which is backed by both the WADA Code and the IAAF Rules. The CAS will put in place a tailored arbitration procedure in order to render a decision for each athlete within a reasonable timeframe.

In addition to these cases, the case of middle distance runner Ekaterina Sharmina, who has been charged by the IAAF with violating the IAAF Rules through “use or Attempted Use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or prohibited method” following analysis of her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), will also be handled by the CAS but this time as a first instance replacing ARAF. A further appeal before a different CAS Panel will be possible in her case.

Two further ABP cases belonging to middle distance runner Kristina Ugarova and heptathlete Tatyana Chernova have also been referred to the CAS. These cases will again be handled by the CAS as a first instance decision making authority. However, for both of these athletes, this constitutes a second anti-doping rule violation as CAS already has pending arbitration procedures with them relating to separate matters, although these are suspended until the outcome of the ABP cases is known.

Finally, it is noted that the six appeals filed at the CAS by the IAAF in 2015 against the ARAF and Sergey Kirdyapkin, Sergey Bakulin, Olga Kaniskina, Valeriy Borchin and Vladimir Kanaikin are close to conclusion. The hearing in the final case of Yuliya Zaripova is being heard today. The Panel of arbitrators in charge of these matters will issue a decision for each appeal in a few days.

Tuesday, 01 March 2016