Korda's lawyers bid to stop ITF appeal
Posted: Thursday January 28, 1999 01:12 PM
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Korda's lawyers feel he should not have to face another trial AP |
LONDON, England (AP) -- Lawyers for Petr Korda, the tennis star who
escaped a ban despite testing positive for steroids at Wimbledon,
argued at the High Court on Thursday that he shouldn't have to face
another "trial" by the International Tennis Federation.
Under pressure from players and sports organizations, the ITF is
appealing against a decision by an appeals body not to suspend the
Czech, who tested positive for nandrolone after his quarterfinal
Wimbledon loss to Tim Henman in July.
Last month, an independent appeal committee appointed by the ITF
said Korda was guilty of a doping offense but said he should not be
suspended due to "exceptional circumstances." Korda had argued he
did not know how the banned drug got into his system.
The ITF's decision was widely ridiculed as not being compatible
with guidelines set down by the International Olympic Committee and
other sports bodies.
Now the ITF wants to enforce the ban by appealing to the Court
of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, ad Korda has taken legal
action to stop them.
Under current ITF rules, Korda would face a one-year ban for
using steroids.
Korda's attorney, Charles Flint, told High Court judge Sir Gavin
Lightman said that the ITF, under its own anti-doping program, had
no right in law to appeal against the decision, which was "final
and binding" on both sides.
Flint said the ITF's own anti-doping program "is designed to
provide for speedy and final determination of disputes as to
allegations of doping before an independent expert committee."
In Korda's case, he said, the code worked exactly as it was
supposed to do.
The ITF was set to put its arguments to the judge later Thursday
when it was hoped he would make a ruling.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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