Following a missed deadline of Nov. 4 for a decision to be rendered by the Russian Anti-Doping authority (RUSADA) with respect to the Kamila Valieva doping violation, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has registered an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS confirmed in a press release on Nov. 14 that it had registered a Statement of Appeal filed by WADA against RUSADA and Valieva following the absence of a decision in the case.
WADA is seeking a four-year period of ineligibility starting on the date on which the CAS award enters into force, as well as the disqualification of all competitive results obtained by her, including the 2021 Russian Championships where Valieva tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine on Dec. 25, 2021, with all resulting consequences (including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes).
The CAS arbitration proceedings have commenced. In accordance with the Code of Sports-related Arbitration, written submissions will be delivered by all parties to a three-member Panel of arbitrators who will decide the matter. WADA will nominate one member of the Panel and RUSADA and Valieva will jointly nominate another. The third member, the president of the Panel, will be appointed by the President of the CAS Appeals Division, or her deputy.
The Panel will issue procedural directions for the next phase of the proceedings and following a hearing will deliberate the case and subsequently issue an Arbitral Award with its decision and the grounds for it.
There is no set timeline for when the CAS decision will be rendered, but given its past history it could take months, if not years, for the case to be resolved.
However, once a decision is rendered it will be final and binding with the caveat that the parties have the right to file an appeal with the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on very limited procedural grounds.
