Russian bill seeks to criminalize CAS sanctions

Russian athletes are facing an uncertain future in the wake of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes for their countries’ invasion of Ukraine. Now a new bill from the Russia state Duma (legislature) will seek to recognize such sanctions as illegal, a response that could isolate Russia even further from the international sports community. 

Roman Teryushkov, a member of the Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, is leading the effort to criminalize actions by international federations that deprive Russian athletes of state symbols. Prior to the recent punishment for its war on Ukraine, Russia had been barred from using its name, flag, or anthem at the past two Olympics thanks to a ruling by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS’s two-year ban was actually half of what WADA originally recommended

If the proposed bill is signed into law, Russia would no longer be subject to the jurisdiction of the Swiss-based CAS. Consequently, that could be grounds for preventing Russia from being readmitted into international federations who are subject to CAS jurisdiction over disputes. 

“In 2016, unfortunately, the law introduced the prevalence of international sports arbitration over the laws of the Russian Federation,” Teryushkov said at a committee meeting Tuesday, according to state-run media TASS. “Therefore, we received a mandatory enforcement of the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which, in my opinion, is wrong. Our task is to protect our athletes and legally ensure performances at domestic or international competitions, if we are called there. For this, the norm must be abolished, and I will prepare a corresponding bill.”

“I propose to recognize at the state level as illegal the deprivation of athletes of state symbols,” he added. “Also recognize the actions of sports federations under criminal law, using the term ‘outrage.’ We must develop a new international policy, including one related to the values ​​of Olympism.”

In March, the CAS rejected Russia’s emergency request to freeze bans on its football teams ahead of World Cup qualifying matches, though the ruling doesn’t mean that the full appeal will also be denied. Russia currently has nine different appeals in front of the CAS spanning six sports.

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Chris
2 years ago

I dont want to see Russian Federation compete in any sport until Putin is gone and replaced.

Verram
2 years ago

Who really cares what Russia thinks .. just nuke them already

BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

At some point, I expect Russia to call the CAS and IOC “aggressive and destabilizing” and remind them of their nuclear arsenal.

Yozhik
2 years ago

That is how much this state values territorial expansion that they are ready to sacrifice any achievements in the area of cultural and sport international relationships.
Poor people of this country, for more than a century they have been under regimes that methodically made them to lose the sense of what the freedom is replacing it with the fear. Don’t expect sanctions to work. They will never rebel against authorities.

Swimswamswum
2 years ago

LMFAO.

The same playbook that TFG adheres to.

Last edited 2 years ago by Swimswamswum
Sub13
2 years ago

If Russia declares itself not subject to CAS, doesn’t that basically make it ineligible for the majority of international country-based sports, including the Olympics?

IM FAN
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

Cutting off their nose to spite their face

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

Let’s hope so

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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