Reduced sanction leaves many questions: CEO
Sport Integrity Australia CEO David Sharpe has expressed disappointment for Australian athletes as a result of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to reduce the four-year sanction on Russia by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“The reduction of sanctions imposed on Russia will leave Australian athletes asking many questions today,” Mr Sharpe says.
“If these are the strongest sanctions for the type of conduct that has been displayed in this case then the consequences for non-compliance in our global anti-doping system are not aligned with our stakeholder’s expectations.”
Mr Sharpe says hundreds of individual athletes have received sanctions more severe than the sanction handed down by the CAS overnight.
“We all need to wait for the CAS decision and digest the reasons, but at first glance it would appear that all major stakeholders will need to unite to strengthen our anti-doping system and ensure that there are real deterrents for serious non-compliance and any conduct designed to cover up that non-compliance,” Mr Sharpe says.
“If this is the appropriate sanction under the current compliance rules then governments, the sport movement, National Anti-Doping Organisations and athletes must all come together after the release of the full decision and immediately work to strengthen these rules.”
