Appeal filed by Tatyana Chernova dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
Press Release
18 July 2017
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the arbitration procedure between the Russian track and field athlete Tatyana Chernova (heptathlon) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The appeal has been dismissed and the first instance decision issued by the CAS on 29 November 2016, in which it substituted for the suspended All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF), is confirmed. Accordingly, Ms Chernova remains sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of three years and eight months, beginning on 5 February 2016 and all results achieved by Tatyana Chernova between 15 August 2011 and 22 July 2013 are annulled.
The athlete’s appeal concerned the IAAF’s referral of the dispute to CAS for a first-instance decision in place of ARAF. As such, it focused on a jurisdictional issue and the CAS Panel did not review the first-instance finding that Tatyana Chernova engaged in blood doping practices throughout the period between August 2009 to at least July 2013.
The CAS Panel found that there was a valid arbitration agreement referring the matter to CAS for a first-instance decision in place of ARAF and accordingly, the athlete’s submission concerning the jurisdiction of the CAS first-instance decision failed. As this was the only issue raised in the appeal, the Panel dismissed the appeal and confirmed the initial CAS award of 29 November 2016.
