Gnizdovska Ganna, managing partner at "Juris Ferrum" LF, and Stepanova Daria, a lawyer at "Juris Ferrum" LF, have written an article for our corporate blog on what an athlete should do when they receive a positive doping test.
Positive doping test: what should an athlete do?
Key points:
- admission of guilt: An athlete may admit their guilt. It is better to take this step immediately after the anti-doping organization suggests doing so. This can significantly reduce the disqualification period;
- cooperation: It is better for the athlete to cooperate and assist in uncovering or establishing facts of violation of WADA's anti-doping rules. Such cooperation can be grounds for mitigating some of the consequences of the corresponding anti-doping violation;
- exceptional cases: In exceptional cases, cooperation can be grounds for not applying disqualification or for acknowledging the athlete's guilt without applying punishment or with applying a reduced punishment;
- request for a hearing: An athlete has the right to request a hearing. During the preparation for the hearing, we advise obtaining copies of the laboratory document package and gathering evidence to prove the absence of guilt.
Read more in the full version of the article.