Appeal filed by Aleksandr Shustov is dismissed and the initial sanctions are confirmed

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the appeal arbitration procedure between the Russian high jumper Aleksandr Shustov and World Athletics (WA) & the Russian Athletics Federation (RUSAF). The CAS Panel confirmed the decision dated 5 June 2020 (the Challenged Decision) in which Aleksandr Shustov was found to have violated Rule 32.2(b) of the 2012-2013 IAAF Competition Rules in force in 2013 ("Use or Attempted Use by an Athlete of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method.") and sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility commencing on 5 June 2020 and the disqualification of all competitive results obtained by him from 8 July 2013 to 7 July 2017.

In January 2018, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) charged Aleksandr Shustov with a violation of Rule 32.2 (b) of the 2012/2013 IAAF Competition Rules (“IAAF Rules”) further to evidence provided to it in the reports into systemic doping practices in Russian sport prepared by Prof. Richard H. McLaren of 16 July 2016 and 9 December 2016, and referred the matter to the CAS for a first-instance decision (RUSAF being currently suspended) which culminated in the issuance of the Challenged Decision.

On 20 July 2020, Aleksandr Shustov filed an appeal at the CAS Appeals Division against the Challenged Decision, seeking its annulment and the cancellation of the disciplinary sanctions imposed on him. Having reviewed the arguments and evidence put before it in both the written submissions and during the hearing, the CAS Appeals Panel found no reason to overturn the Challenged Decision and confirmed the findings of the first-instance Panel in full, dismissing the appeal.