In First Test of Bans on Russian Athletes, CAS Denies Stay of UEFA Decision

In the first major legal test of a ban on Russian athletes from international competition, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has denied a request by the Football Union of Russia to stay the execution of a UEFA suspension.

UEFA suspended the Russian federation from participation in its competitions until further notice, including giving Poland a “bye” to the final of “Path B” of the FIFA World Cup qualifying event, which is scheduled to take place on March 29, 2022. A match between Poland and Russia was scheduled to be held in Moscow’s VTB Arena.

The FUR asked the international court for sporting disputes to put the UEFA decision on hold for the duration of the CAS proceedings, but the CAS has denied that request. CAS also says that they will have a final decision by the end of this week.

UEFA’s ban came after several countries, including the next scheduled Russian opponent Poland, threatened to boycott competition if Russia was allowed to participate.

A stay of competition could have forced Poland to play or forfeit their match against Russia this week.

FINA, the international governing body, is holding firm in its rejection of a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, though they did install a new rule that would allow them to block athletes and officials on a case-by-case basis. While most international sporting organizations have put in place outright bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, FINA is one of a handful that are still allowing them to compete, albeit under neutral symbols.

A FINA representative told SwimSwam that they have not issued a blanket ban because of fear of an overturning by the CAS.

FINA has also declined so far to remove December’s Short Course World Championships from Kazan, Russia. That is the biggest international sporting event that has not been pulled from the country in 2022.

The CAS is generally the final stop for most international sporting disputes, though appeals can be made to the Swiss Tribunal (the country’s supreme court) on procedural grounds – which rarely happens or is granted. The CAS generally rules on whether decisions by organizations like UEFA follow their own precedents in rules rather than ruling on the fairness of such rulings – though sometimes their decisions does include non-binding commentary on the latter.

This is one of two major appeals to the CAS by Russian sporting organizations that have been announced so far. The other is the Russian Olympic Committee appealing against a European Olympic Committees decision to not allow Russian athletes or officials to participate in the 2022 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival.

If Russia were successful in either of these appeals, a number of others would likely flood into the CAS.

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SwimCanFan
2 years ago

What’s FINA’s idea of competing under neutral symbols? At the Olympics, the IOC’s idea of “neutral” symbols involved having Russian athletes compete under the banner of “Russian Olympic Committee” instead of “Russia.” What a joke. FINA needs to do better.

Yozhik
2 years ago

FINA is just a federation of national associations. If major associations say “NO!” as Swiss did then it doesn’t matter what FINA’s bureaucrats or CAS think.
What are the current position of US or Australia or China or Japan federations? The countries that are far away from the conflict geographically and may benefit from it geopolitically?

Corn Pop
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

There is an Australian Federal Election upcoming . The date will be set when they judge the issue likely to swing the vbalance their way .

I know the Aust media’s preferences but not the real population .However they don’t generally like politics in sport . Also we have enough ethnic & nationalist stuff from diaspora . If you come to live here drop your junk because you are one of many with recent & historical grievances .

Last edited 2 years ago by Corn Pop
Grimes/Mcintosh combo is the future
2 years ago

Kolesnikov and Rylov. My favorite backstrokers.
❤️❤️
comment image

Distance Per Stroke

Countries mad they can’t beat them so will ban them.

Oldmanswimmer
Reply to  Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

You think this is about winning races? Get a clue.

Swimfan
Reply to  Oldmanswimmer
2 years ago

Of course, it’s about winning. Do you think they compete for chocolate bars or what?

This is elite performance and money is involved.

This Guy
Reply to  Swimfan
2 years ago

Get a FREAKIN’ clue‼️

Grimes/Mcintosh combo is the future
Reply to  Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

🤣🤣🤣

Yozhik
Reply to  Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

You got it absolutely right, despite you even don’t understand what the purpose of ban is.
DON’T LET THEM WIN Nowhere. Including sport.
This country with their elected war criminal government doesn’t deserve it.
Don’t feed their “National Idea” that sends tanks in Ukraine. We learned already where such ideas led to in Naz I Germany

Last edited 2 years ago by Yozhik
HJones

If they would like to compete then they must be willing to give up their Russian citizenship and passport. Otherwise, they continue to represent a dangerous autocracy and must be held accountable.

And, let’s be honest, both of these guys would be able to find pretty much any other country to naturalize them from their sporting ability alone. British Swimming would move heaven and earth to get one of KK or Rylov in the UK with expedited citizenship.

Sun Yangs Hammer

*Russia bombing maternity hospitals in Ukraine*

This guy: muh Russian swimmers 🥺👉👈

No politics in sport
Reply to  Sun Yangs Hammer
2 years ago

1) US aircraft hit a Red Crescent maternity hospital in Baghdad, the city’s trade fair, and other civilian buildings today, killing several people and wounding at least 25, hospital sources and a Reuters witness said.
2) On 3 October 2015, a United States Air Force AC-130U gunship attacked the Kunduz Trauma Centre operated by Médecins Sans Frontières in the city of Kunduz, in the province of the same name in northern Afghanistan. 42 people were killed and over 30 were injured.

Sun Yangs Hammer
Reply to  No politics in sport
2 years ago

The point ——————>

Your head

Last edited 2 years ago by Sun Yangs Hammer
Corn Pop
Reply to  Sun Yangs Hammer
2 years ago

Allegedly the UN was notified prior that Azov had commandeered the centrally positioned hospital & placed its artillery there. You have to know Azov ‘s base is at Mariupol on the Azov Sea , they have been designated by US Congress as ****..

But don’t fret you can still buy Azov mugs & t shirts on Amazon . One day like the fake babies out of humicribs in 91you might be more aware next time .

Sun Yangs Hammer
Reply to  Corn Pop
2 years ago

I’d argue in the context of being dead, placing your sympathy with swimmers being banned is insane.

I don’t live in the US either.

Corn Pop
Reply to  Sun Yangs Hammer
2 years ago

I think it is the end of many things we took for granted , one being international sport . That is all I would like to say . We have been living the dream & its ending..

Im just glad Australia ended up on top of womens swimming !

We all love swimming here & I hope we all keep doing our own little sessions to keep sane & healthy . I’ve enjoyed SwSw but its time to leave . Adios!

Last edited 2 years ago by Corn Pop
NB1

weird, I thought you would start with your pro-Russia rant

Jamesabc

I quite like Rylov and Kolesnikov too. But you know that you’re just trolling. I’m surprised mods haven’t banned you yet. You are repeatedly posting pro-Russia and anti-NATO propaganda to try to get a reaction.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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