Nyon, Switzerland, 29 March 2024
On October 8, 2022, West Indian Cricketer John Campbell was banned for 4 years for refusing to submit a blood sample in April 2022, the ban took effect retroactively from May 10, 2022. Attorneys for Mr Campbell filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) in December 2022.
The matter was heard before CAS in April 2023, and a decision was to be handed down on August 31, 2023. This decision has now been postponed without reason 6 times with a new ruling date of May 31, 2024, leaving the athlete in an unacceptable state of limbo.
Unfortunately, Mr Campbell’s case is not an isolated incident. Countless players and athletes across codes and countries are being denied access to justice through global sport’s ineffective dispute resolution system, as enforced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Despite longstanding recommendations from human rights experts that CAS overhaul its processes, progress to date has been lacking. This has a devastating impact on athletes like Mr Campbell, who are often forced to abandon their short-term and precarious careers due to the time and money required to run their case.
Player associations worldwide will continue to fight for justice on behalf of their members and athletes everywhere. Extensive reform recommendations based on best practice standards have been tabled with the leadership of global sport’s institutions including the International Olympic Committee, World Anti-Doping Agency and CAS that would embed athlete rights and resolve the vast majority of cases of injustice. It is overdue that these reforms are implemented. Athletes should not be collateral damage as a consequence of the failures in sport’s governance.
The World Players’ Association (WPA) and the Federation of Cricketers’ Association (FICA) stand together with Mr Campbell and West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) in this fight for fairness and urge CAS to do what must be done to deliver the award immediately.
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The World Players Association, part of UNI Global Union,is the exclusive global voice of organized players and athletes across professional sport. It brings together 85,000 players through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries. Its role is to ensure that the voice of organized players is heard at the highest levels in the decision-making of international sport.
