Iourieva, Yaroshenko, Dementyev become eligible for 2014 Sochi Olympics

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made its decision on the case of U.S. sprint runner LaShawn Merritt today.

Merritt had been banned for doping for a period exceeding six months and thus, under the IOC’s rule 45, had to miss the the following 2012 Olympics in London. The United States Olympic Committee filed an appeal, and the hearings on Merritt’s case took place in August.

Eventually the court decided to abolish the rule. The CAS agreed with the US Olympic Committee that it is a double penalty for a single violation.

The abolition of the rule 45 will now allow some Russian athletes (e.g., Dmitry Yaroshenko, Yekaterina Iourieva, and Yevgeny Dementyev) to take part in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.