Exclusive - CAS Plans New Anti-Doping Court

(ATR) The Court of Arbitration for Sport is aiming to set up a permanent anti-doping division by the time of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb revealed the plan at a meeting with representatives of the seven international Olympic winter sports federations at the SportAccord Convention in Aarhus.

Reeb spoke to the winter IFs about the "third evolution" of CAS' anti-doping division. He said it would be "available at any time, also outside the Games", if federations support the initiative. The court would hear doping cases and be given sanctioning powers, lifting some of the burden from the federations.

"That’s something for the future. The target is Tokyo 2020. We should see also if the summer federations are interested," he told the federations' officials.

"It would be necessary for CAS to create a new list of arbitrators specialized in doping matters only. So there would be a big change in the structure of CAS."

Reeb said it was "envisaged and still possible depending on the support we have."

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s proposal is part of a global overhaul of anti-doping procedures following the IOC’s criticism of WADA ahead of the Rio Olympics. Key to reforms is the development of an Independent Testing Authority, a version of which is expected to be up and running for next February's Games.

Atthe Rio Games, CAS opened an office to rule on doping cases for the first time at an Olympics and had the power to hand down provisional suspensions. The IOC’s disciplinary commission previously heard cases at the Games. Running alongside the anti-doping court in Rio and at every Olympics since Atlanta 1996 was the CAS ad hoc division. It resolves legal disputes at the Games, including doping appeals.

Reeb said the offices of the CAS ad-hoc and anti-doping divisions for PyeongChang 2018 will be located at the Tower Hotel in Yongpyong, around one hour away in the mountains above the Olympic Park. It will operate from Jan. 30 to Feb. 25.

International Ice Hockey Federation general secretary Horst Lichtner urged Reeb to consider a second CAS office near the ice sports venues, insisting that travel logistics would make it time-consuming to attend hearings in the mountains.

"The location was suggested by the organizing committee. It is the first time in the history of our existence that we are located closer to the mountains than to the ice sports," Reeb said.

"But I don’t think it is a big issue. We could perhaps secure a hearing room somewhere in Gangneung, so that you don’t have to travel and the rest will be communication by phone, by email."

For the PyeongChang Games, Reeb said the winter federations would be more involved in doping procedures and able to expedite provisional bans when called for.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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