Entourage selection, athlete responsibility, & 'substantial assistance' in doping cases: Lessons from Mitoglou v FIBA

This article examines the recent case of professional basketball player Konstantinos Mitoglou, who was found guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation and sanctioned to a 4-year ineligibility period. The case is noteworthy as the CAS panel then applied a significant suspension to the 4-year ban based on the ‘substantial assistance’ Mitoglou provided in identifying the actions of Dr. Ilektra Gerou, a member of Mitoglou’s medical team whose treatments were claimed to have caused the violation. This rarely happens. The case also contains important lessons about an athlete’s selection of and ongoing relationship with their entourage.  Anti-doping rule violations like in this case and many others –  most recently Jannik Sinner^[1] – often stem from the athlete's over-reliance on their surrounding team.

• Background
• Facts
• CAS panel decision
• Key lessons on athlete entourage
  • Always take personal responsibility
  • Exercise due diligence to select the right team
  • Trust but always double-check
  • Prioritise protecting your career
  • Engage in ongoing education and awareness
• Providing ‘substantial assistance’ in discovering or establishing code violations