Vadim Devyatovskiy exonerated by the CAS
Morgan Sports Law acts for President of the Belarus Athletic Federation and 2005 IAAF World Champion, Vadim Devyatovskiy, in his successful defence against the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Summary
CAS 2015/A/3977 World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) v. Belarus Athletic Federation & Vadim Devyatovskiy.
In 2012, the International Association of Athletics Federations (“IAAF”) re-analysed a urine sample collected from Mr Devyatovskiy at the 2005 IAAF World Championships. The IAAF subsequently charged Mr Devyatovskiy with a doping violation. A first instance tribunal exonerated Mr Devyatovskiy in 2014.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) subsequently appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”), seeking the imposition of a minimum eight-year ban and the disqualification of all of Mr Devyatovskiy’s results since 2005.
Following a two-day hearing in January 2016, the CAS dismissed WADA’s appeal on the basis that WADA had been unable to establish to the Panel’s comfortable satisfaction that Mr Devyatovskiy had committed any anti-doping rule violation.
Mr Devyatovskiy, now retired as an athlete, is therefore free to continue acting as President of the Belarus Athletic Federation. Mr Devyatovskiy’s sporting achievements since 2005 (threatened by WADA’s appeal) remain undisturbed.
Mike Morgan, Richard Martin and Donna Bartley of Morgan Sports Law acted for Mr Devyatovskiy, alongside California-based lawyer, Howard Jacobs.
Mike Morgan also previously acted for Mr Devyatovskiy in his successful appeal to the CAS against the 2008 decision of the International Olympic Committee to strip Mr Devyatovskiy of the silver medal won by him at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. On that occasion, the CAS held that a doping control sample provided by Mr Devyatovskiy at the 2008 Olympic Games had erroneously been declared positive. Mr Devyatovskiy was thus acquitted and his silver medal was returned to him.
For further information or media enquiries, please email mike.morgan@morgansl.com.
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