49er Olympic Gold Medal to Denmark Confirmed by CAS

SAILING - SKIFF DINGHY 49ER

THE APPLICATIONS FILED BY THE NOCs OF ITALY AND SPAIN WERE DISMISSED BY THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS)

Beijing, 23 August 2008 – The ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today dismissed the applications filed by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) against two decisions of the International Jury of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) related to the gold medal race of the 49er event which took place on 17 August 2008.

A panel of CAS arbitrators composed of Dr Stephan Netzle (Switzerland), President, Prof. Richard McLaren (Canada) and Ms Margarita Echeverria (Costa Rica) heard the parties today between 9.00am and 2.00pm, as well as the representatives of the Danish NOC, as interested party. After having deliberated, the CAS arbitrators announced that both applications were dismissed and that the decisions rendered by the ISAF International Jury concerning that event and dated 18 and 19 August 2008 were confirmed. The CAS decision with the grounds will be published on the CAS website before the closing of the Olympic Games.

This procedure followed an incident which occurred before the gold medal race in the 49er class event on 17 August 2008. Shortly before the start of the race, the Danish team (Warrer/Ibsen) was sailing towards the start line when the mast of their boat broke. As a consequence, the Danish team decided to use the boat of another team (Croatia) which had not qualified for the gold medal race. The Danish team finished 7th in the gold medal race and was ranked first in the overall ranking of this event. The Spanish team, which obtained the silver medal and the Italian team, which was ranked fourth, as well as the Race Committee, filed various protests which were all rejected by the ISAF International Jury. The two NOCs then requested the CAS to annul the ISAF International Jury decisions, to declare that the Danish team was not entitled to take part in the gold medal race, to disqualify the Danish team and to re-allocate the Olympic medals to the Spanish team (gold medal), to the German team (silver medal) and to the Italian team (bronze medal).

Court of Arbitration for Sport