⚖️ The Situation
The minor athlete participated in a water sports competition. It was during this competition that she was tested for the first time in her career. In early 2022, we received the shocking news: the A sample tested positive for a banned substance.
For the young athlete, who had just entered the testing pool, it was a real shock. She faced a possible disqualification of up to 4 years and had no idea how to proceed.
The athlete’s mother spent a long time searching for lawyers before she was advised to contact Juris Ferrum Law Firm being told that we were “the best in Ukraine in doping disputes”. It was nice to hear, and we immediately got to work.
🔹 How We Acted
📌 We carefully analyzed the situation and discovered that the prohibited substance entered the athlete’s body through a medication she had taken during treatment. She had been receiving treatment several weeks before the competition where the doping control took place.
📌 We prepared an explanation for the International Federation, detailing the circumstances of the situation. We provided medical evidence and explained how the banned substance entered the athlete’s system.
📌 We demonstrated that there were mitigating circumstances: the athlete’s age, her illness, lack of anti-doping education, and the fact that this was her first violation. The International Federation partially accepted these arguments and agreed to reduce the disqualification period.
🔹 Result
✅ The disqualification period was reduced from 4 years to 18 months.
✅ At the time of the decision, the disqualification period had already expired, and the athlete was able to return to competition without further delays. 🎉
The project was handled by sports law specialists from Juris Ferrum Law Firm: attorneys Ganna Gnizdovska, Nadiia Gnizdovska, and legal expert Daria Stepanova.
🔗 Read more about the case here.