Court of Arbitration for Sport Rules Against British Olympic Association

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 30. TODAY, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled against the British Olympic Association's appeal regarding its stringent anti-doping bylaws. CAS stated that the BOA Bylaws are not in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. The BOA had, up until losing its appeal, a bylaw in place that stated athletes who had been suspended for doping violations could not represent Great Britain at an Olympics.

CAS ruled “the bylaw is a doping sanction and is therefore not in compliance with the WADA Code. The CAS confirms the view of the WADA Foundation Board as indicated in the Decision. Therefore, the appeal of BOA is rejected, and the Decision of the WADA Foundation Board is confirmed.”

Today's decision comes on the back of WADA's initial decision to declare the British Olympic Association non-compliant back in November 2011.

In the past four years, CAS has reversed the course of the sporting community away from what are tantamount to lifetime bans for Olympic athletes who are suspended for doping violations. Last year, CAS overruled the IOC Rule 45. This rule stated that any athlete who was banned for more than six months would automatically be banned from eligibility for the Olympic Games following the end of the doping ban. CAS struck down the rule, stating that the rule was a separate doping sanction.

In today's ruling, CAS made the point that it did not disagree with heavy sanctions for athletes. CAS does, however, believe that “the international anti-doping movement has recognized the crucial importance of a worldwide harmonized and consistent fight against doping in sport, and all signatories have agreed…to comply with such a principle.”

CAS also stated explicitly that the BOA, or any other member of the WADA community, could lobby to have additional and/or heavier sanctions added to the sanctioning process. However, CAS struck down individual members freelancing over and above the WADA code.

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