IBSF lifts the Provisional Suspension of Four Russian Skeleton Athletes after Hearing
IBSF Press Release
Lausanne, 8 January 2017
IBSF lifts the Provisional Suspension of Four Russian Skeleton Athletes after Hearing
On December 22, 2016 the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) received a letter from the lnternational Olympic Committee informing that it has opened investigations related to an alleged anti-doping rule violation of the Athletes in connection with the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
The IBSF informed each of the Athletes by individual letters on December 30, 2016 that theyare provisionally suspended forthwith from that day in accordance with article 7.9 of the IBSF Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), version January 1, 2015.
The Athletes have requested by email on January 2,2017 in accordance with article 7.9.3 of the IBSF ADR the opportunity for a Provisional Hearing on a timely basis after imposition of the Provisional Suspension. The Provisional Hearing was conducted on January 3, 2017 by Dolf Segaar (Chairman), Dr.Alessia di Gianfrancesco and Prof.Dr.Ian Blackshaw.
The Hearing Panel came to the following conclusion (in parts):
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- Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to a fair trial and, inparticular, guarantees the presumption of innocence until proved guilty. Article 3.1 of the ADR of the IBSF puts in that context the burden of proof on the IBSF.
- The Doping Hearing Panel comes to the conclusion that Mclaren Report ll provides sufficientreason to conduct further investigation by both the IOC and the IBSF into the role of the Athletes in "tampering or attempted tampering of any Doping Control", as being in line with article 3.1 of the ADR of the IBSF, but at the same time it comes to the conclusion that at this very moment there is not (yet) sufficient evidence against the Athletes that would justify the provisional suspension. The Doping Hearing Panel invites the IOC to share any outcome of its investigation with the IBSF in order to potentially reconsider the position of the Athletes in this respect.
- The Doping Hearing Panel of the IBSF concludes therefore to lift the provisional suspension of Elena Nikitina, Maria Orlova, Olga Potylitsyna, and Aleksandr Tretiakov, with immediate effect as of the date of signing of this decision, with reference to article 7.9.3 sub 2(c) of the ADR of the IBSF. This Decision of the Panel is entirely without prejudice to the pending investigation of the IOC and does not, in any way whatsoever, preempt the outcome of such investigation.
