MINSK, 21 January (BelTA) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to deliver its ruling on the case of Belarusian canoeists by 27 January, provided nothing changes, BelTA learned from Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus Anatoly Kotov.
The Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus stressed that the Belarusian side expects a positive decision that will confirm the innocence of the Belarusian canoeists and the absurdity of the decision of the International Canoe Federation (ICF) to punish the Belarusian men's team by disallowing them to partake in the Rio Olympics. Confidence in the positive outcome was bolstered when on 21 January the National Olympic Committee of Belarus received an official notification from the French Anti-Doping Agency, which said the agency had no complaints about the Belarusian rowers.
Upon hearing the news from the French Anti-Doping Agency the National Olympic Committee of Belarus prepared a statement to notify the Court of Arbitration for Sport about the decision of the French agency. “In our opinion, it confirms there are no reasons left for a negative decision on the case of the Belarusian rowers. The French agency has confirmed what the Belarusians have been saying from the very start. It is an official statement, not just words by the head coach of the Belarusian team Vladimir Shantarovich and the athletes, who have been saying they have not violated anything,” stressed the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus.
Anatoly Kotov remarked that if the Belarusian suit is satisfied, the National Olympic Committee intends to use the available legal instruments as much as possible in order to punish the International Canoe Federation. It has to be done in order to at least compensate for the moral damage the Belarusian canoeists suffered when they missed out on the opportunity to take part in the Olympics. The Rio Olympics were supposed to be the crowning jewel of Alexander Bogdanovich's career. He and his brother Andrei Bogdanovich had every chance of winning medals. Artem Kozyr was the season's leader in solo race. The solo canoe race will not be part of the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, this is why Artem Kozyr will have to take up other kinds of events from scratch. Justice must be restored. Guiltless athletes and entire teams must not suffer like that, believes the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus.
