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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has overturned Olympic swimmer Filippo Magnini‘s four-year suspension. 37-year-old Magnini took to social media to celebrate the announcement.
“I WON. The CAS acquitted me of all kinds of accusations. It has always been like this, I have always won races in the last few meters. They taught me never to give up. I have always been an athlete and a correct person. I tremble with joy.”
Magnini is retired but has continued to deny allegations of doping. Magnini and fellow Italian swimmer Michele Santucci were both sanctioned for their association with Italian nutritionist Guido Porcellini. Porcellini was banned for 30 years, and Italian media reported that Magnini was central to the case against Porcellini.
Last fall, the Italian anti-doping organization (NADO) officially banned Magnini and Santucci for four years each. Both were accused of “use or attempted use of doping substances,” and Magnini was also accused of abetting and administration or attempted administration of a prohibited substance.
Teh 38-year old Magnini won an Olympic bronze medal on Italy’s 800 free relay at the 2004 Olympic Games. He is also a 4-time World Champion and 13-time World Championship medalist, including individual 100 free gold medals at the 2005 and 2007 long course World Championships. He also has 17 European Championships.
In his appeal, Magnini “objected to the facts found against him by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunals.”
Per the CAS:
On the basis of the evidence placed before it, the Panel determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Filippo Magnini had violated the WADC. Accordingly, it flowed that the sanction had to be annulled.
Both swimmers appealed their bans with a national anti-doping tribunal. Santucci won his appeal and had his suspension dropped, but Magnini’s appeal was rejected.
CAS is most dagerous oranisation all sport.
CAS is too liberal organisation and killing fair sport case by case and too confidential.
Yuri got it right. Basically, he was banned because he had a few calls and meetings with the wrong guy. There was never any failed test or other evidence, other than this presumption of guilt by loose association. It did not hold in ordinary courts, where he was also tried, because it amounts to Middle-Age inquisition s..t. It appears now it was not enough even by the standards of special doping courts.
Ps there are people on this site who wanted Pellegrini charged too, on account of having lived with him. Witch-hunters. The cause never justifies the means.
I must say I support the fight against doping, no doubts about it.
But it has become an insane witch-hunt, complete non-sense.
This was the most ridiculous ban ever given in sport. Basically he got a 4 years ban just because he used to talk and meet with somebody with doping issues ( the doctor ). We don’t know what they were talking about, could be cars or movies as far as we know. It’s like you talk with somebody who robbed a bank 15 years ago, maybe you didn’t even know it, and that’s enough for you to be considered a criminal too.
Can’t really understand who downvoted this, but there is seriously no evidence about what Magnini and the doctor talked together, so should we start giving bans to swimmers with only suspects but with no proofs ? In a civilized society suspect is not enough to condemn someone. You cannot take illegal substances, you cannot skip a drug test, but THERE IS NO rule that states that you cannot talk with somebody who was involved with doping, c’mon everybody, let’s be real.
Hot Take: As an athlete not only should you not dope but you should also avoid situations and people that make it look like you could be doping.
How the f can you get banned for “attempted” use? Does it mean you’re banned because you’re too stupid to use the good stuff?
But why was it overturned? Lack of proof? I guess I am missing something.
“The Panel determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Filippo Magnini had violated the WADC. Accordingly, it flowed that the sanction had to be annulled”
If so I think Sun Yang is very likely to win too.