Andy has been writing about the governance of sport for over 15 years. Prior to working on the Sports Integrity Initiative, he was the editor of World Sports Law Report for eight years. He has also worked for the Press Association and has written for numerous trade magazines. He has also created, chaired and spoken at numerous conferences on the business of sport, and produced the Sports Law Show for iSportConnect TV.
All posts by Andy Brown
• A weightlifter and a boxer have been sanctioned with four year bans, and two mixed martial arts fighters have been sanctioned with six month bans, Italy’s national anti-doping agency (NADO Italia) has announced. Weightlifter Ivana Romano has been sanctioned with a four year ban for evading a test;...
• A track and field athlete and a volleyball player have been sanctioned for doping, Italy’s national anti-doping agency (NADO Italia) has announced. Ahmed Nasef, a 45 year old marathon runner, has been sanctioned with a four year ban expiring on 24 July 2024, after his Athlete Biological Passport...
The Belarusian athletics federation (BFLA) has appointed Ivan Tsikhan (Иван Тихон) as its new President, after he was proposed by former BLFA President Vadim Devyatovskiy (Вадим Девятовский). Both Tsikhan and Devyatovskiy are hammer throwers, and both have been sanctioned for doping. Devyatovskiy was sent home from the Sydney 2000...
Mati Alaver, former coach of the Estonian national ski team, orchestrated blood doping through cooperation with Dr. Mark Schmidt and Tarvo Kiudma, the team’s doctor, an investigation by Estonian journalists has found. Journalists from Eesti Televison (ETV), Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), and Ekspress Meedia discovered that doping equipment was obtained...
• French police have released two people detained after a 16 September raid on the Arkea Samsic team hotel in Méribel, reports Reuters. Nairo Quintana, considered the team’s lead rider, said he had been questioned by the Marseille Prosecutor’s Office on Monday. ‘The authorities entered my room and seized...
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has three core integrity principles. To protect the rights of all athletes in relation to anti-doping; to observe the highest ethical standards and avoid improper influences or conflicts of interests; and to develop policies, procedures and practices that reflect justice, equality, and integrity. A...
Further questions have been raised as to whether payments made by a Singapore company to Papa Massata Diack, son of former World Athletics President Lamine Diack, were intended to secure votes for Tokyo’s hosting of the 2020 Olympics. In April 2016, an investigation confirmed that the Tokyo Bidding Committee...
• Two people close to the entourage of Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana are understood to be in custody following a police search at the Arkea Samsic team hotel last week, according to a statement reported by Reuters. It is understood that following the search, investigators are examining the administration...
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has begun charging people implicated in a 2018 documentary exposing match-fixing in African football with abuse of position and bribery. Former Greater Accra RFA Chairman Nii Komiete Doku, who was also a member of the GFA Executive Committee, and football official Kofi Manu have...
The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has denied responsibility for leaking details of an anti-doping investigation to the media, which reported that a ten year ban had been issued to figure skater Maria Sotskova. ‘RUSADA’s current employees strictly adhere to the norms of the All Russian Anti-Doping Rules, according to...
Alexander Kravtsov (Александра Кравцова), Director of the Centre of Sports Preparation (CSP) for Russia’s national teams, has been arrested and detained on charges of embezzlement, reports Kommersant. It is understood to be alleged that approximately RUB14 million (€156,300) was paid to fictitious CSP employees between January 2015 and December...
• The trial of Dr. Mark Schmidt and four alleged accomplices began today at the Munich regional court, reports German State radio (MDR). The five defendants are understood to be implicated in 150 doping cases between 2011-2019 following the Operation Aderlass investigations into the customers of Dr. Schmidt. Investigations...
World Athletics’ first set of published accounts show a US$17.4 million loss for the 2019 financial year, a 58% reduction on the $27.6 million loss recorded for 2018. The improved financial result was partly due to a 11.6% increase in revenue to $51.1 million, and a 6.8% reduction in...
Lamine Diack, former President of World Athletics, has been sentenced to four years in prison, two of which are suspended, for accepting Russian bribes to delay anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), reports AFP. It is understood that Diack plans to appeal. He argues that although he delayed announcing ADRVs, he...
• The international automobile federation (FIA) is investigating Lewis Hamilton for wearing a t-shirt highlighting the shooting of Breonna Taylor at the Tuscan Grand Prix over the weekend, reports the Daily Mail. The newspaper reports that the FIA’s Statutes ‘prohibit political statements of any kind’. Article 1.2 of the...
