Lausanne / Switzerland

Within the context of the Oswald Commission hearings the International Skating Union (ISU) has received the verdicts of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Disciplinary Commission of Olga Fatkulina and Aleksander Rumyantsev relating to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

The IOC decided to sanction the Russian Speed Skaters Fatkulina and Rumyantsev for anti-doping rule violations. The IOC decision can be found here.

The IOC’s jurisdiction is restricted to the Olympic Winter Games (OWG) and it is up to the ISU to determine the consequences of the findings of the IOC for the period outside the OWG including all ISU World Cups and Championships.

It must be pointed out that the IOC Disciplinary Commission has not yet issued its motivated decision and indicated this will be done within a reasonable time after the notification of the present decision. The receipt and review of the motivated decision is an essential condition for the ISU to evaluate and decide upon any follow-up action.

Once the IOC Disciplinary Commission has issued its full motivated decision and mindful of the ongoing Speed Skating season, the ISU will undertake the urgent necessary steps within the competence of the ISU.  

The ISU herewith confirms that the systematic and regular anti-doping testing for Russian International level Skaters is carried out by international (not Russian) independent sample collection authorities with the analysis of the samples carried out at WADA accredited laboratories outside Russia. 

The ISU firmly maintains its position that the protection of clean athletes and the fight against doping are of the highest priority. At the same time, equal treatment and due process must be guaranteed to all athletes within the limits of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules and ISU Anti-Doping Procedures, and the basic rule of law.

A further statement will be issued by the ISU once further information is available.