Two Olympic speed skaters "filed an antitrust complaint in Europe that may prevent sports governing bodies from banning athletes for taking part in big-money events that fans can bet on," according to Danielle Rossingh of BLOOMBERG. Speed skating Gold Medalist Mark Tuitert and short-track world champion Niels Kerstholt "have gone to the European Commission to block the International Skating Union from banning them for life for participating in a new competition in Dubai" with €1.4M ($1.7M) in prize money. Tuitert said the ISU threat is "out of all proportion." He added, “It’s about our livelihood, and also about promoting our sport in a better way globally.” The inaugural Dubai Icederby Grand Prix, which was to have been held in October, was canceled after the Lausanne, Switzerland-based ISU said in March it would not sanction Icederby events because they are “possibly being closely connected to betting.” EU competition law "is applicable to Switzerland-based sports bodies such as the ISU as long as their rules have implications for the European market." Ben van Rompuy, a senior researcher and consultant at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in The Hague said, "This is not just about speed skating. The European Commission has a chance to set an important precedent which may benefit thousands of athletes." He said that sports with similar restrictions in place "include volleyball, swimming, gymnastics, cricket and field hockey" (BLOOMBERG, 12/2).
