Having recently examined some of the legal issues that have overshadowed the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, in this article I will consider what could keep contentious/regulatory lawyers (and journalists) busy once the Games formally begin on 26 July 2024. With ten days still to go before the Opening Ceremony, it is … Continue Reading
The cloud of Covid-19 (which loomed so large over Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022) has thankfully dissipated, but the lead up to the 2024 Olympiad in Paris (the “Paris Games”) has nevertheless been punctuated by logistical and legal challenges. Hosting the world’s largest multi-sport international event – attended by thousands of participants, support personnel, officials, … Continue Reading
Introduction Following a three-day hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 7-9 February 2024, the outcome of Simona Halep’s appeal against her doping suspension is imminent and eagerly awaited. In September 2023, the former world number 1 tennis star was banned for four years by an independent tribunal for breaches of Article 2 … Continue Reading
Introduction On 21 February 2023, the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) issued a statement confirming that it was appealing the decision of the disciplinary tribunal of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (“RUSADA”) in the case of Kamila Valieva to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”). Although the full decision has not been published, the RUSADA tribunal … Continue Reading
Introduction Andre Onana, the first team goalkeeper for AFC Ajax (“Ajax”) and the Cameroon national team played his first competitive match for over nine 9 months on 13 November 2021, when he started for Cameroon in a 4:0 victory over Malawi in a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African Qualifier. Prior to this match, Onana had … Continue Reading
The NBA commenced its new season on 22 October with the battle for Los Angeles, as Kawhi’s Clippers edged the Lakers this time. But, less than three weeks into the new season, attention has turned to off-the-court matters; three NBA players who were active on rosters last season have been suspended for testing positive for … Continue Reading
Last week Sports Shorts considered the UCI decision to close the investigation against four time Tour de France winner Chris Froome. In the wake of that decision, criticism of Froome and the decision was still present with the Team Sky rider being booed at the team presentation. Froome ultimately did not get off to the … Continue Reading
On 2 July, the Union Cycliste International (UCI) announced that the anti-doping investigation against four time Tour de France winner Chris Froome had been closed, clearing him to compete in this year’s edition of ‘Le Tour’. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), followed this announcement with its own, indicating that it would not appeal the decision … Continue Reading
The 2018 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off today in Moscow, will be Paolo Guerrero’s first. He is the captain of Peru’s football team and it will be the country’s first World Cup in 36 years. Yet for months it was feared that Guerrero would not be able to play due to his 14-month ban … Continue Reading
Lance Armstrong has agreed to pay $5,000,000 to settle claims that he defrauded the federal government by using performance-enhancing drugs at the time that the US Postal Service sponsored his cycling team. It is reported that the US Postal Service paid Armstrong and his cycling team as much as $40,000,000 as part of the sponsorship. … Continue Reading
The 2018 Commonwealth Games are currently taking place on the Gold Coast of Australia. With doping still at the forefront of discussions in world sport, especially athletics, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (“ASADA”) implemented a pro-active approach to doping in advance of the Commonwealth Games. More than 3,000 tests were conducted by the ASADA in … Continue Reading
In this, the third and final part of our series on the DCMS Select Committee Report on “Combatting doping in Sport”, Sports Shorts looks at the Report’s findings in relation to performance versus health considerations, record-keeping inadequacies, problems arising from under-funding, and the proposal that doping be made criminalised. The Nike Oregon Project The third … Continue Reading
In part two of our three part series on the DCMS Select Committee Report in “Combatting doping in Sport” we consider its controversial findings in respect of British Cycling and Team Sky. It is the second section of the DCMS Select Committee Report that is likely to have the most serious repercussions for two of … Continue Reading
On Monday the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (“DCMS Committee”) published its long awaited report of its investigations into doping in sport (the “Report”). The Report has led to a number of sensational headlines concerning those criticised within it. The background to the DCMS’s inquiry has been covered previously by Sports Shorts here. The … Continue Reading
In August, Sports Shorts wrote about the updated 2017 CrossFit Games drugs policy (the “Policy”). In the final paragraph, we noted that it was hoped that the low level of breaches would continue and that the Policy would only truly be tested in the event a ‘big name’ athlete was found to have breached it. … Continue Reading
The 11th annual CrossFit Games begins on Thursday this week at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin. This is the first time the event has been held outside of California after 7 years at the StubHub Center in Carson. The top 40 male and female qualifiers from the CrossFit Open, together with athletes competing in … Continue Reading
In September 2015, the Department of Culture Media and Sport Committee’s (“Committee”) launched an inquiry into Combatting Doping in Sport Inquiry (“Inquiry”). This post looks at the origins of the Inquiry, its scope and finishes by looking at its powers and asking whether they are sufficient. Origin Not even the most loyal fan could deny … Continue Reading
When a professional athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance, the consequences can be severe. The athlete may be banned (either for a set period or for the remainder of their lifetime), they may have their results revoked, they may face the imposition of a financial penalty (together with any financial loss that occurs as … Continue Reading
The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics seem a long way in the past – we have since enjoyed cheering for our countries and zealously following the medal counts in London 2012 and Rio 2016. However, since the end of the 2008 Games, a number of things have changed to the medal counts for each of those … Continue Reading
Much of the build-up to this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio was dominated by the recommendation from the World Anti-Doping Association (“Wada”) that the entire Russian Olympic team should be banned from competing at the Games. This headline-grabbing recommendation was made following the explosive accusations, contained with an initial report from Professor Richard McLaren, that Russia operated … Continue Reading
Earlier this month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”) published its decision in the case of Maria Sharapova in her appeal against a 24-month ban imposed by an Independent Tribunal following a positive test for the prohibited substance meldonium. The CAS reduced Sharapova’s ban from 24 months to 15 months (she will be free … Continue Reading
When it comes to sport few subjects cause as much debate as doping. It causes myriad issues from a legal, moral and ethical standpoint. Issues such as using the wrong type of Vicks inhaler, failing to go to Barbados to check the banned substance list and hyperandrogenism to name but a few. This week the … Continue Reading
Three members the doping control review board (DCRB) for FINA (the international federation for swimming) quit their posts on Sunday 4 September 2016. The panel members resigned claiming that: (i) the process that was unanimously agreed by the DCRB prior to the Rio Olympics in relation to which Russian swimmers would be allowed to compete … Continue Reading
