CAS 2009/A/1817 WADA & FIFA v. Cyprus Football Association (CFA), Carlos Marques, Leonel Medeiros, Edward Eranosian, Angelos Efthymiou, Yiannis Sfakianakis, Dmytro Mykhailenko, Samir Bengeloun, Bernardo Vasconcelos & CAS 2009/A/1844 FIFA v. Cyprus Football Association and Edward Eranosian
CAS 2009/A/1817 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) & Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) v. Cyprus Football Association (CFA), C. Marques, L. Medeiros, E. Eranosian, A. Efthymiou, Y. Sfakianakis, D. Mykhailenko, S. Bengeloun, B. Vasconcelos and CAS 2009/A/1844 FIFA v. CFA and E. Eranosian
Football
Doping (oxymesterone)
General reference to CAS in the Statutes of the International Federation and CAS jurisdiction
De novo review and limit of the Panel’s review to the evidence adduced in the arbitration
No direct applicability of the WADA Code
Principle of non-retroactivity and application of the lex mitior principle in anti-doping rule violations
Assistance of the text and the interpretative notes included in the WADC for the interpretation of the FIFA provisions
Interpretation of “substantial assistance” in light of the FIFA Cooperation Rule
Significant negligence and administration of mislabelled food supplements
Revision of the sanction imposed by a disciplinary body by CAS and principle of proportionality
Conditions for the application of Article 65.4 of the FIFA DC
1. A coach of a team, registered with a National Federation (NF), is deemed to have agreed, by his act of registering, to abide by the statutes and regulations (including the anti-doping regulations) of the NF. In addition, being subject to the statutes and regulations of the NF, he is also bound by the rules of the International Federation (IF). As a result, the rules set in the statutes of the IF are binding for the coach and, to the extent they provide for an appeal to the CAS, they constitute a general reference and the basis for the jurisdiction of a CAS panel to hear an appeal against a decision of a body of the NF.
2. According to Article R57 of the CAS Code, the Panel has full power to review the facts and the law of the case. The hearing before the Panel constitutes a hearing de novo, i.e. a rehearing of the merits of the case. The Panel’s scope of review is not limited to consideration of the evidence that was adduced before the body that issued the challenged decision, but can extend to all evidence produced before the Panel. However, the arbitral nature of the CAS proceedings limits the Panel’s power of review to the evidence adduced in the arbitration, to be evaluated on the basis of the relevant evidentiary rules. The Panel, therefore, is bound to issue an award only on the basis of the evidence that has been brought before it: the failure of a party to submit evidence available to it in support of its case can only be considered in light of the rules on the burden of proof and cannot prevent the Panel from issuing an award.
3. The fact that FIFA is a signatory to the WADC does not mean that the WADC applies between FIFA and its affiliates. As made clear by the Introduction to the WADC, in order to be applied, the provisions of the WADC require implementation in the rules of the relevant organization. Indeed, the WADC can be used to help with interpretation, where the content of the FIFA rules is equivalent to the WADC: however, it is not possible to have recourse to the WADC to alter or amend the FIFA provisions where their content is not equivalent to the WADC.
4. In doping-related issues, the principle of non-retroactivity is mitigated by the application of the “lex mitior” principle: the new provisions must also apply to events which have occurred before they came into force if they lead to a more favourable result for the athlete. Except in cases where the penalty pronounced is entirely executed, the penalty imposed is, depending on the case, either expunged or replaced by the penalty provided by the new provisions.
5. The FIFA provisions, to the extent they make reference to the concepts of “No Fault or Negligence” or of “No Significant Fault or Negligence”, correspond to the rules contained in the WADC. As a result, the understanding and interpretation of the FIFA rules can be informed in such respect by the text and the interpretative notes included in the WADC.
6. The FIFA Cooperation Rule does not require that “substantial assistance” be provided in the discovery or establishment of an anti-doping rule violation; it simply requires that “help” be given which leads to the exposure or proof of a doping offence. If “help” appears as having the same meaning as “assistance” and “exposure” can be equated to “discovery”, it is clear that the WADC requires a condition (that the assistance be “substantial”) not contemplated by the FIFA DC. Therefore, for the purposes of the application of the FIFA Cooperation Rule, contrary to what other panels had to do while applying the WADC or rules of sport federations exactly corresponding to the WADC provisions, it is not necessary to consider whether the assistance provided by the relevant subject was “substantial” or not. The Panel has simply to verify whether “help” was provided which led to the exposure of the doping offence by another person.
7. An athlete who blindly accepted the pills administered by his coach, without refusing nor asking questions or making any enquiry, and without conducting further investigations with a doctor or another reliable specialist is considered as having acted with significant negligence. The risks associated with contamination of products or mislabelled food supplements should henceforth be well known among athletes.
8. Under CAS jurisprudence the measure of the sanction imposed by a disciplinary body in the exercise of the discretion allowed by the relevant rules can be reviewed only when the sanction is evidently and grossly disproportionate to the offence.
9. Under Article 65.4 of the FIFA DC, it is necessary that the help is given leading to the exposure or proof of the doping offence by another person. The fact that a coach admitted his doping offence, provided for testing the pills he had distributed, apologized for his actions and explained all the elements surrounding them, or that he withdrew an action brought before national courts against the NF does not trigger the application of the FIFA Cooperation Rule, since there is a simple confession of his actions and not provision of help leading to the exposure or proof of the doping offence by another person.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decides on 26 October 2010 that:
1.) The appeals filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association against the decision issued on 2 April 2009 by the Judicial Committee of the Cyprus Football Association concerning Mr Edward Eranosian are upheld.
2.) Mr Edward Eranosian is declared ineligible for a period of four years, commencing on 2 April 2009.
3.) The appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency against the decision issued on 24 April 2009 by the Judicial Committee of the Cyprus Football Association concerning Mr Carlos Marques and Mr Leonel Medeiros is dismissed.
4.) The decision issued on 24 April 2009 by the Judicial Committee of the Cyprus Football Association concerning Mr Carlos Marques and Mr Leonel Medeiros is confirmed.
5.) The appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency against Mr Angelos Efthymiou, Mr Yiannis Sfakianakis, Mr Dmytro Mykhailenko, Mr Samir Bengeloun and Mr Bernardo Vasconcelos is dismissed.
6.) This award is pronounced without costs, except for the Court Office fee of CHF 500 (five hundred Swiss Francs) already paid by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, to be retained by the CAS.
7.) Mr Edward Eranosian is ordered to pay CHF 10,000 (ten thousand Swiss Francs) to the World Anti-Doping Agency as a contribution towards the legal and other costs incurred in connection with these arbitration proceedings.
8.) The World Anti-Doping Agency is ordered to pay CHF 1,000 (one thousand Swiss Francs) to each of the Cyprus Football Association, Mr Carlos Marques, Mr Leonel Medeiros, Mr Angelos Efthymiou, Mr Yiannis Sfakianakis, Mr Dmytro Mykhailenko, Mr Samir Bengeloun and Mr Bernardo Vasconcelos as a contribution towards the legal and other costs incurred in connection with these arbitration proceedings.
9.) The Fédération Internationale de Football Association shall bear its own legal and other costs.
10.) All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.
