Olympia 2018: Russian athletes prefer CAS because of invitation

32 Russian athletes want to extend their invitation to the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February) before the International Sports Court CAS.

Shorttrack icon Viktor Ahn and top biathlete Anton Schipulin are among the athletes who have not been invited to the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi for violations of the anti-doping guidelines.

The CAS wants to hear the athletes on Wednesday,”as soon as possible” the verdict will be announced afterwards. On Friday the competitions will start at the games in Pyeongchang. Figure skating Olympic champion Xenia Stolbowa, cross-country skier Sergei Ustjugov and speed skater Ruslan Murashow are also among the 32 athletes.

CAS President John Coates confirmed the move at the IOC session in Pyeongchang on Tuesday, saying:”Athletes have appealed against the Commission’s decision,”said IOC member Coates.

The IOC had banned 43 Russian athletes from the Olympic Games for life because of doping offences in Sochi. 42 of them appealed and moved to the CAS. The Court lifted the blockades in 28 cases.

However, the IOC has so far refused to issue invitations. The Russian athletes are now taking action against this position.

The CAS’s ad hoc tribunal has opened proceedings after receiving urgent applications from 32 Russian athletes, the highest international sports tribunal formally stated,”The applicants are taking action against the IOC’s decision not to invite them to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang,”the announcement said.