IOC's attempt to appeal CAS' decision to contravene Olympic Charter - Russian Olympic Committee
MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - If the International Olympic Committee (IOC) files an appeal with the Swiss Supreme Court against the decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), which has acquitted 28 Russian athletes on Thursday, the IOC will throw into doubt the CAS' step and the Olympic Charter, Russian Olympic Committee First Vice President Stanislav Pozdnyakov told reporters.
"Today, it was said following the CAS press release that the IOC reserves the right to go to the Swiss Supreme Court. In our view, this is based on Article 61 of the Olympic Charter, which holds that every argument linked to the Olympic Games is subjected to consideration in the Court of Arbitration for Sports. Also, Article 11.2.1 of the IOC anti-doping rules for the 2014 Olympics holds that the IOC's decisions can be appealed only with the Court of Arbitration for Sports," Pozdnyakov said.
"Under the said regulations, the IOC has itself chosen the CAS as a final instance for all sports related one way or another to the Olympic Games. Thus, the IOC itself should honor the CAS' decisions. If the IOC appeals this decision with the Swiss Supreme Court, it will actually display distrust to the CAS' activity," Pozdnyakov said.
This step will throw into doubt the Olympic Charter and the IOC anti-doping rules.
Russian athletes cleared of disqualification are fully entitled to compete at the Winter Olympics as part of the team of 'Olympic Athletes from Russia,' he added.