CAS UPHOLDS IAAF’S LIFE BAN ON VALENTIN BALAKHNICHEV, ALEXEI MELNIKOV, PAPA MASSATA DIACK

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by Valentin Balakhnichev, Alexei Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack against the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Ethics Commission decision dated 7 January 2016.

a

“The IAAF Ethics Commission decision is confirmed and Valentin Balakhnichev, Alexei Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack remain banned for life from any involvement in the sport of athletics”, CAS said in a statement.

Valentin Balakhnichev, former President of the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) and former IAAF treasurer, Alexei Melnikov, former Chief ARAF Coach for long distance walkers and runners, and Papa Massata Diack, former marketing consultant to the IAAF and son of former IAAF President Lamine Diack, filed appeals at the CAS seeking annulment of their life bans.

The appeals were consolidated and referred to the same Panel of CAS arbitrators: Mr Otto L.O. DeWitt Wijnen, The Netherlands (President), Mr Olivier Carrard, Switzerland, andJudge (ret.) James Robert Reid QC, UK.

The panel, according to CAS held a hearing at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland on 14-17 November 2016 but Messrs Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Diack did not attend and were represented by their legal counsel.

“The Panel concluded that on the evidence adduced, the charges against Messrs Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Diack were established beyond reasonable doubt and that the sanctions imposed should be upheld”, CAS said, adding that the full award with grounds will be published as soon as possible.
Speaking on the development, IAAF President Sebastine Coe thanked CAS for work wel done.