TASS - Rozhkov: CAS has adopted positive decisions on a number of issues raised by the RPC

Moscow, December 18 /TASS/. Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has made positive decisions on a number of issues raised by the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC). TASS was told this by the RPC First Vice President Pavel Rozhkov. On Thursday, CAS published a list of sanctions against Russian sports. In particular, the Russians were deprived of the opportunity to compete at the World Championships, Olympics and Paralympics under the national flag for two years.

“By the decision of the RPC Governing Board, I was instructed to present testimony at the CAS hearing in the dispute between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), where the Russian Paralympic Committee acted as a third party, - said Rozhkov. - Based on the results of the CAS decision, I can say that the court heard us and made positive decisions on a number of issues raised by the RPC. All Russian Paralympians will be able to take part in the Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, in the Winter Paralympic Games in 2022 in Beijing and in all other sports competitions. Also, CAS refused to impose a ban on attending sports events on the leadership and members of the RPC”.

“There was a big discussion on sports equipment, WADA demanded to exclude all the colors of the state flag, - continued the vice-president of the RPC. - CAS allowed the form in the colors of the Russian flag, although without an inscription, the form has already been agreed, sketches have been determined. Our athletes and coaches are very upset that the performance will be in a neutral form, without a flag and anthem. The CAS decision says that there are no claims either to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) or to the RPC - we were not involved in the alleged manipulations with the data of the Moscow laboratory, but the sanctions related to the uniform, anthem and flag, and the holding of international competitions remain”.

Rozhkov said that at the moment the court's decision is being studied in detail: “We are now carefully studying the CAS requirements for holding international competitions in the territory of the Russian Federation, this is very important for us, since the RPC, at the request of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), should hold the Alpine Skiing World Cup final in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in February - early March. Due to the pandemic, this World Cup final will not take place in Beijing. The RPC plans to hold a number of international competitions on the territory of the Russian Federation, the conditions for their organization require additional consideration. The CAS decision is very voluminous, almost 200 pages, the RPC with its team of lawyers is currently analyzing the CAS decision in order to determine whether this decision should be challenged”.