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Swiss-based CAS to hear appeal of Russian Olympic Champ Ustyugov on October 10

16 June 2020 19:54 (UTC +04:00)

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear an appeal of Russia’s 2014 Olympic gold medalist in biathlon Evgeny Ustyugov against the International Biathlon Union (IBU) on October 20, the Swiss-based court announced in a statement on Tuesday, APA reports citing TASS.

Ustyugov filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland’s Lausanne in March this year stating a disagreement against his suspension for alleged violations of anti-doping regulations.

The Swiss court stated Tuesday that the case of Ustyugov’s appeal is on the schedule of hearings for October 20, adding that "due to the travel restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, some hearings may be conducted by video conference."

The IBU announced on February 13 that it found Ustyugov guilty of consuming banned performance enhancing drug Oxandrolone. The world’s governing biathlon body ruled to annul all results of the athlete for the period from August 27, 2013 until the end of the 2013/2014 season, including his 2014 Sochi Olympics gold medal in team relay.

After the IBU announced on February 13 its decision to suspend Ustyugov for two years, the Russian biathlete had 21 days to file an appeal against the IBU’s verdict with the Swiss-based court.

In case the CAS rules against upholding Ustyugov’s appeal, he will be stripped of his 2014 Olympics gold medal. His teammates Anton Shipulin, Dmitry Malyshko and Alexei Volkov, who raced with him in the team relay event at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, will also be stripped of their Olympic gold and Russia will lose its top position in the overall medals standings of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Ustyugov, 35, is a two-time Olympic champion. He won his first gold in mass start at the Winter Olympics in Canada and his second gold at the 2014 Olympics in Russia’s Sochi in team relay event. After the Olympics on his home soil, Ustyugov announced that he wrapped up his sports career.