2007-01-12

Christine Ohuruogu Case Heard Before CAS

Story written by EPelle

Christine Ohuruogu stood before the CAS counsel yesterday to protest her 12-month ban imposed by the IAAF and handed out by UK Sport for her three missed drugs tests in an 18-month period.

Mattieu Reeb, the CAS secretary general, is quoted by Sportinglife.com as stating: "There will be no comment about the case until Friday at the earliest.

"However no decision is likely to be announced until the tribunal retires and considers the matter which normally can take between two and three weeks." (source)

Ohuruogu hopes the penalty period is reduced or dismissed, a move which would allow her to compete in the the British trials for Osaka which are in Manchester from 27-29 July.

Ohuruogu, an east Londoner, admitted the doping offense before the UKA disciplinary committee in September, with the committee conceding Ohuruogu made an unintentional mistake in missing her tests due to forgetfulness.

Ohuruogu's lawyers argued at a secret and lengthy CAS hearing in London on Thursday, stating to the panel that the IAAF sentencing guidelines are notably more stringent than other sports and she should be exhonerated rather than sentenced.

Though the UKA committee had stressed there were no reasons she was deliberately trying to beat the testing procedures, but felt the merits of the case were strong enough upon which to prosecute, nonetheless.

IAAF were also in attendance at the secret hearing to justify their policy.

"We are party to the hearing and will explain the one-year doping policy by providing background information," said Chris Butler, the IAAF's anti-doping media spokesman.

Butler insisted, however, that whatever guidelines may have been set by other non-athletics global governing bodies, the IAAF felt justified that their esablished guidelines are fair.

The issue in question is the case of the UK's world triathlon champion, Tim Don, who, under his sport's regulations, received only a three-month ban for the same offense.

Ohuruogu, who is no longer receiving lottery funding or UKA medical support - and had threatened to discontinue in the sport if she is not cleared of the offense, seems to be leaning to leaning toward a continuance according to her coach.

He said: "Christine is optimistic about the result but she is not building up her hopes. She's accepted the one-year ban.

"She'll wait for the result now but is not building up her hopes. Christine has been kicked in the teeth before," he added in reference to Ohuruogu's withdrawal from last summer's European Championships.

Lloyd Cowan, her coach, said to Sportinglife, "She was off for three months after having surgery on both her Achilles tendons. She did bits and pieces afterwards, but her full rehabilitation started 10 days ago when she started jogging.

"But she's enjoying being back and I think she'll stay in the sport whatever happens. She believes she can rebuild her career and in the future make championship finals."

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