CAS to hear Russian paralympians’ appeal against ban on August 22

Moscow, Aug 16 (IANS) The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is due to hear an appeal filed by Russia's Paralympic Committee (RPC) to fight a ban preventing the team from competing at the Rio Paralympics on August 22, the committee's press service said on Tuesday.

Chairman of RPC's executive committee and RPC's vice-president Pavel Rozhkov said that CAS has confirmed that the hearing will be held in Rio de Janeiro at 9 a.m. local time, reports Tass.

A decision is expected to be handed down during the first half of Tuesday, August 23. RPC sent an appeal to the CAS on August 15.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) opened proceedings against RPC on July 22 after receiving a report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in which 35 Russian paralympians were named in a widespread doping sandal.

Earlier this month, IPC chief Philip Craven said that 10 more Russian paralympians were suspected of violating anti-doping regulations.

Based on the WADA report, it's executive committee last month pressed the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and all international sports federations to bar Russian athletes from all international competitions, including the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

IPC slapped a blanket ban on the Russian paralympic team on August 7, barring it from participating in the Rio Games.

RPC had earlier announced it was raising funds to file a lawsuit at the CAS in Lausanne.