WADA’s appeal of the decision by the Spanish federation in Alberto Contador’s case was finally heard in November 2011. The delays in these proceedings have been widely criticised and a decision was initially expected mid-January 2012. The CAS decided to delay the publication of the decision in order that the parties may raise any challenge to the composition of the arbitral panel. Neither side is understood to have challenged the constitution of the panel at the appeal hearing itself. The CAS adopted this course in response to a recent report in the Associated Press that WADA lawyers accused the arbitral panel of not being impartial after they refused to hear testimony from their doping expert Michael Ashenden. The wait continues ….
