CAS to hear Russian anti-doping agency’s appeal against country's four-year ban from Olympics in early November

Moscow: The Russian anti-doping agency’s (RUSADA) appeal against the country’s four-year ban from the Olympics and other major sporting events will be heard in early November, the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday.

In a list of hearings published on its website, CAS wrote that the appeal by RUSADA against sanctions imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) would take place from 2-5 November this year.

Last year WADA barred Russians from competing under their country’s flag at major international events, including the Olympics, for four years after it found that Moscow had provided it with doctored laboratory data.

The sanctions also bar Russia from hosting or bidding for major sporting events for a four-year period.

RUSADA was suspended in 2015 after WADA found evidence of mass doping in Russian athletics.

The agency was conditionally reinstated in September 2018, but was declared non-compliant late last year after WADA found Moscow had provided it with doctored laboratory data.

CAS has said the appeal will take place behind closed doors “due to the absence of an agreement between all parties concerned” despite WADA requesting that the hearing be held in public.