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Two ROC swimmers who had been charged with anti-doping rule violations by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) were allowed to compete in Tokyo 2020 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the cases against them.
Veronika Andrusenko and Aleksandr Kudashev were provisionally suspended by FINA last Wednesday (July 14), based on evidence from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from its investigation into the manipulation of data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory.
However, CAS rejected FINA’s accusations and therefore lifted the provisional suspensions, freeing the swimmers to represent the ROC at the next Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympian Andrusenko won a silver medal in the women’s 4×100-meter medley at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, to go with a bronze medal won in the same event in Barcelona in 2013.
Kudashev is the Universiade 200m butterfly champion.
Andrusenko is registered to compete in the 200m freestyle at Tokyo 2020 and Kudashev is ready to compete in the 200m butterfly.
“FINA fully recognizes CAS as an independent adjudicative body in cases like these,” said FINA President Husain Al-Musallam.
“We are grateful for their prompt consideration of this matter, and we will respect and implement the CAS ruling.
“FINA is also grateful to WADA for its diligence in bringing the information from Operation LIMS to our attention.
“As a proud signatory of the WADA Code, we had a duty to ensure prompt and careful follow-up of the material provided.
“FINA remains fully committed to protecting clean athletes and promoting clean competition in Tokyo 2020, just as we do for all events on our calendar.”
CAS sole arbitrator Rui Botica Santos has dismissed the anti-doping rule violations imposed by FINA against Andrusenko and Kudashev, following an expedited hearing held ahead of the Games.
Provisional suspensions are optional in cases where an anti-doping rule violation has been initiated for reasons other than an Adverse Sample or Passport Result, in accordance with FINA Doping Control Rules.
The pair are part of a team of 56 ROC swimmers for Tokyo and could also compete in the relays.
Russia’s name, flag and anthem have been banned from the Olympics as part of a sanctions package imposed on the country by WADA and CAS due to state-sponsored doping and manipulation data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory in concealment “.
Russian “neutral” athletes can compete in Tokyo 2020 under the ROC banner, and the same system is expected to be in place in Beijing 2022.
Russian swimmers were able to compete in Rio 2016 and won four medals.
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