The President of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov, following the results of the General Meeting of RUSADA members, which was held today in the ROC, announced the decisions taken during the meeting.
– Today, based on the results of the General Meeting of RUSADA members, who supported the recommendations set forth by the Organization’s Supervisory Board, the following decisions were made:
– to disagree with the decision by WADA’s Executive Committee issued on December 9, 2019, which supported the recommendation of WADA’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC) on declaring RUSADA non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, along with the ensuing consequences of such non-compliance and conditions for official reinstatement.
– to instruct RUSADA’s Director General Yuri Ganus on December 27, 2019 to send an official notice informing WADA that RUSADA disagrees with the decision by WADA’s Executive Committee issued on December 9, 2019 declaring RUSADA non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, along with the ensuing consequences of such non-compliance and conditions for official reinstatement. And to put on record the dispute between WADA and RUSADA in accordance with the approved notification model.
– to approve the law firm Schellenberg Wittmer to represent RUSADA before CAS, during litigation and other court proceedings in connection with the decision by WADA’s Executive Committee issued on December 9, 2019.
– to instruct RUSADA’s Director General Yuri Ganus to formalize the powers of attorney of the Schellenberg Wittmer law firm before December 27, 2019 in order to represent RUSADA’s interests before CAS, during litigation and other court proceedings in connection with the decision by WADA’s Executive Committee issued on December 9, 2019 and submit their originals to the Russian Olympic Committee.
The President of the ROC also emphasized that since the Russian Olympic Committee is a third party to this case, another law firm will represent its interests before CAS.
– Taking into account the previous experience of cooperation with our organization and the All-Russian sports federations, the lawyer Claude Ramoni from the Swiss law firm Libra Law will represent our interests, – stated Stanislav Pozdnyakov.
The President of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Vladimir Lukin, stressed that the recommendations of RUSADA’s Supervisory Board were also carefully considered during a meeting of the RPC Executive Board. As a result, a similar decision was made on disagreement with the ruling by WADA’s Executive Committee issued on December 9.
– If there is a dispute between two sides, with each side having its own point of view, the best way to proceed is to go to court, – noted Vladimir Lukin. – In sport such an authority is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The General Meeting of RUSADA members decided to submit the relevant documents to CAS. The RPC Executive Board also decided to participate in this process as a third party. Now we are due to hold consultations and choose a law firm to represent our interests before CAS.
