The Russian Olympic Committee, the IAAF and 68 Russian athletes have concluded a specific arbitration agreement to designate the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as the final instance to settle the dispute between the ROC and the IAAF concerning the participation of 68 Russian athletes in the Olympic Games Rio 2016 (athletics events). According to an announcement by CAS, the parties have agreed to an expedited procedure which should conclude on 21 July 2016 with the issuance of the final decision.
In their request for arbitration, the ROC and the 68 athletes request the CAS in particular to review the validity, enforceability and scope of IAAF Competition Rules 22.1(a) and 22.1A, and to order that any Russian athlete who is not currently the subject of any period of ineligibility for the commission of an anti-doping rule violation may participate at the 2016 Olympic Games (subject to meeting the qualification standards for his or her event).
The CAS Court Office initiated an arbitration procedure today. The final decision will be
announced, at the latest, on 21 July 2016. The reasoned decision will be published by CAS as soon possible thereafter. “In the meantime, the CAS will not comment further,” closes the CAS press release.
This story first appeared in the blog, The Sport Intern. The editor is Karl-Heinz Huba of Lorsch, Germany. He can be reached at ISMG@aol.com. The article is reprinted here with permission of Huba.