The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it is “disappointed” that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) struck down some of the IOC’s restrictions on potentially-doped athletes, but will respect its decision allowing Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev to compete in Rio.
The IOC is the first major institution involved to answer our requests for comment on the subject – so far, the case has been a veritable alphabet soup of silent institutions, with CAS, WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and the ROC (Russian Olympic Commitee) all not returning our requests.
Morozov and Lobintsev were originally barred from the Olympic by FINA, the international governing body for swimming – who have also not returned our requests for comment.
The appealed to CAS, but their Olympic eligibility was also dependent on a three-member IOC panel. CAS has heard a record number of appeals this week from athletes challenging the IOC’s eligibility rules, which were tightened considerably after the McLaren Report alleged massive state-sponsored doping within Russia.
CAS struck down some of the IOC’s rules, which the IOC called “disappointing” in an email to SwimSwam.
We are naturally disappointed that the Court of Arbitration for Sport considered our measures against doped athletes too tough. We of course accept their judgement.
The IOC also noted that athletes who have been cleared by CAS have to follow a 3-step IOC procedure that includes the international federation (in this case, FINA), the CAS and the IOC panel.
Morozov and Lobintsev appear to have passed all three, as the Russian Olympic Committee yesterday announced that both were part of the list of eligible athletes passed to them by the IOC – though the IOC hasn’t released that list publicly to anyone else.
Of course she is. Do you think she’s going to fly in last minute with the way things are playing out?
So did Morozov fail a test, then it magically “disappeared” before the “B” sample was tested? Too much mystery around this.
Are these the same clowns who declared any suspicious comments in 2012 as “bad sportsmanship”? I thought it was fair to at least question Ye Shiwen’s performance. Shiwen didn’t test positive, but it is relatively easy to cheat the tests and her performance was very suspicious. I thought the conversation was acceptable.
The whole point of this should be to PROTECT THE CLEAN ATHLETES, not worry about a taint of scandal at their Olympics. Cowards.
Turn the page….
So this is the biggest crock of BS. The IOC knew that what they put forward wouldn’t pass the CAS. They wanted to say they did something without really doing something. Bach has spent the last few days blaming everyone else but his organization. Not that there isn’t blame to spread but this is totally disingenuous.
Morozov is a clean athlete and deserves this chance to compete in Rio! What the IOC has been putting these athletes through is unfair & they should be 100% certain before making these accusations.
im happy for morozov. he deserves his shot and has never failed a test as far as i know
At least not one that wasn’t hidden.
“Twenty-plus-year career, 500 drug controls worldwide, in and out of competition. Never a failed test. I rest my case.”
I’m not saying… I’m just saying.
No lawyer ever investigated and filed a report saying his coach or USOC swapped out one of his samples for a fake. Or is that a minor detail?
Yeah, probably deserves the benefit of the doubt.
What is the point of the three-member IOC panel if the CAS has the final say? Hasn’t it be presented the other way around?
Time to hit the RESET BUTTON with Russia 🙂
The blatant lie by IOC is truly astounding. And at the expense of CAS reputation too!