CAS Launches Arbitration Procedure Over ARAF Appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport did not say when a hearing will take place.GETTY IMAGES

The Court of Arbitration for Sport launched an arbitration procedure a day after the All-Russia Athletics Federation appealed against the decision by the IAAF to extend its suspension, according to Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber of REUTERS. CAS, which did not say when a hearing could take place, confirmed the ARAF is attempting to "void the IAAF's decision in July to prolong the ban and regain Russia's full IAAF membership as soon as possible." The ARAF's legal action came days after WADA conditionally reinstated the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, "angering sports bodies around the world." The move fulfilled one of three pre-conditions that need to be met for the IAAF to reinstate the suspended federation. The IAAF said on Wednesday that it is "confident in its legal position" and that the Russian federation "could only be reinstated if the outstanding criteria were met" (REUTERS, 9/27).