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Sport & Anti-Doping – Annual Review 2024/25

Sport & Anti-Doping – Annual Review 2024/25
Thursday, 20 March 2025 Author: Richard Liddell KC, William Harman, William Birch

Welcome to the Anti-Doping chapter of the LawInSport Annual Review 2024/25. Tennis dominated the anti-doping landscape in 2024 as no fewer than three top ranked singles players faced charges: former women’s world number one Simona Halep returned to tennis after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced her four year sanction to nine months; current men’s top seed Jannik Sinner was found to have borne no fault or negligence for two anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) at first instance before agreeing to serve a three-month suspension following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); and Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension just weeks after losing the number one spot to Aryna Sabalenka.

But tennis was not the only sport generating high-profile proceedings. Notably, French football star Paul Pogba had a four-year doping ban reduced on appeal to CAS, and boxer Conor Benn saw charges brought against him by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) dismissed by a National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP). Conversely, Welsh rugby union player Finley Evans was banned from all sport for four years following various ADRVs.

Elsewhere, anti-doping agencies (ADOs) have drawn criticism. 2025 saw an extraordinary war of words between WADA, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) which recently led to the US Government pulling funding from WADA. Elsewhere, WADA also became embroiled with CAS proceedings against the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) over the African nation’s anti-doping legislation.

We consider some of those cases below before looking ahead briefly in 2025:

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Written by

Richard Liddell

Richard Liddell KC

Rick is a Barrister at 4 New Square.
 

Rick is on the Editorial Board of LawInSport and is recommended in the legal directories as a leading Silk in sports law.

He is described in the directories as a “superb advocate” and “a welcome addition to the front Bench – a brilliant sports law lawyer with exceptional professional regulatory skills as part of his all-round talent. A vast array of sports-related experience and expertise. Tactical nous. Excellent manner with clients.”

Rick acts for both athletes/players and governing bodies and has appeared in appeals in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.  He is frequently instructed in sports commercial disputes, disciplinary matters and sports arbitrations, including anti-doping cases and safeguarding matters.

William Harman

William Harman

Barrister, 4 New Square

Will receives instructions in a range of commercial and regulatory matters involving the sports industry with a particular focus on anti-doping and anti-corruption charges. Will’s experience includes the complete defence of charges of refusing, evading and/or failing to provide a sample against a former Olympian (led by Pippa Manby). Will recently appeared before a Scottish Football Association Tribunal in respect of gambling charges and has acted on both the player and governing body side in tennis match-fixing cases.

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William Birch

William Birch

Will is a commercial junior at 4 New Square, with a broad practice in line with 4 New Square’s specialisms. Will’s main areas of interest are professional liability and general commercial litigation, civil fraud, insurance, regulatory & disciplinary, and sports. He has already had exposure to appearing alone both in the High Court and at full trial in the County Court.