SOC & Abrahamian v IOC

The outcome of the remarkable story of Sweden’s wrestler who rejected his bronze medal in protest.
http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/3016/5048/0/20090216111733485.pdf

Here is the press release:

http://www.tas-cas.org/en/infogenerales.asp/4-3-3012-1092-4-1-1/5-0-1092-15-1-1/

The CAS dismisses the appeal filed by the national Olympic Committee of Sweden & Ara Abrahamian

 

Lausanne, 13 February 2009 –

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by the National Olympic Committee of Sweden (SOC) and the Swedish wrestler, Ara Abrahamian, against the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose Executive Board ruled on 16 August 2008 to disqualify Ara Abrahamian from the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling, 84kg event, and to exclude him from the Games.

The SOC and Ara Abrahamian sought, inter alia, the return of the bronze medal won by the athlete which he took off and placed on the floor before walking away from the medal ceremony, which was still in progress.

The CAS confirmed that the behaviour of the athlete at the medal ceremony was in breach of the Olympic Charter and of the IOC Protocol Guide.  Such behaviour was not justified, even though the athlete had the personal conviction that several sporting decisions related to his semi-final at the Olympic Games were not correct.  The CAS concluded that the decision of the IOC Executive Board was not disproportionate in the circumstances.

Sport&EU, The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union can be found at http://www.sportandeu.com