“We still think it is a valid case and await the final decision”
Responding to today’s ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that it doesn’t have jurisdiction to rule on an appeal against Jan Ullrich, the director of Swiss Anti-Doping has emphasised that the overall process is not over.
The latter agency saw its appeal dismissed by CAS, which stated that it couldn’t rule on the matter for technical reasons. Matthias Kamber acknowledged that Swiss Anti-Doping’s part in the action had concluded, but said that the decision did not signify an end to the process.
“This ruling does not concern all the facts, it is only concerns the background in stating that we cannot make an appeal to CAS. The ruling in the case is still ongoing,” emphasised Kamber to VeloNation this evening.
“The CAS ruling more or less says that all the rules and regulations were not really transferred [when Swiss Anti-Doping was established – ed.], so we are not allowed to take part in this case.
“That is a pity, but it not a ruling on the final outcome. Essentially, we are together with the UCI in this case, even if we are out as a partner. We still think it is a valid case and await the final decision.”
1997 Tour de France winner Ullrich was brought to CAS by Swiss Anti-Doping and the UCI, who want to see the rider sanctioned for his part in Operación Puerto. Although that affair happened five years ago and Ullrich retired soon after being blocked from riding the 2006 Tour, both bodies want to see an official legal decision handed down and a sanction imposed. CAS explained two reasons why it felt it doesn’t have jurisdiction in the matter, but added that it was competent to rule on the UCI’s separate appeal against Ullrich. It stated that a final decision would be announced in approximately six weeks’ time.
VeloNation contacted Ullrich’s manager Falk Nier after the CAS decision, but he declined to comment for now. “Unfortunately after no final award [was made], we are not able to release an official statement,” he stated.
He was quoted this week as having said that the rider might tell all about his career, regardless of the final CAS verdict.