The case involves an arbitration decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) between the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the All Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) along with athlete Stanislav Emelyanov. The dispute centered on allegations of blood doping based on abnormalities in Emelyanov’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). Emelyanov, a Russian race-walker, had previously been sanctioned for two anti-doping rule violations: the first in 2012 for ABP abnormalities and the second in 2017 for an adverse analytical finding of EPO. The IAAF alleged a third violation based on irregularities in his ABP data collected between October 2015 and September 2016, which indicated possible blood manipulation. The ABP system, developed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), tracks blood parameters such as hemoglobin and reticulocyte percentage to detect doping. An expert panel concluded that Emelyanov’s ABP data showed abnormal patterns consistent with blood doping, likely due to erythropoiesis-stimulating substances or blood transfusions. Emelyanov denied the allegations, questioning the reliability of the Moscow laboratory’s analysis, but the expert panel reaffirmed their findings.
Due to the suspension of ARAF from IAAF membership, the case was referred to CAS. The IAAF sought a lifetime ban for Emelyanov, arguing that the ABP evidence, combined with the expert panel’s reports and Emelyanov’s failure to provide a valid explanation, constituted clear proof of doping. Neither Emelyanov nor ARAF responded to the charges or participated in the proceedings. The sole arbitrator, Murray Rosen QC, ruled that under IAAF Rule 40.8(d), a third anti-doping violation could be treated as a multiple violation, following the same principles as a second violation. Given Emelyanov’s prior sanctions, the arbitrator upheld the IAAF’s charge, reinforcing the severity of repeated doping offenses. The evidence suggested the athlete had ceased using ESAs two to three weeks before the first sample was taken in October 2015, further supporting the doping allegation.
The ruling determined that Emelyanov's violation constituted a third anti-doping rule violation within a 10-year period. According to Rule 40.8(d) of the 2015 IAAF Rules, successive violations committed after notification within a decade are aggregated to determine the appropriate sanction. Since this was his third violation, Rule 40.8(b) mandated a lifetime period of ineligibility, unless mitigating circumstances applied, which were not present in this case. The CAS upheld the IAAF’s request, finding Emelyanov guilty under Rule 32.2(b) of the 2015 IAAF Rules, and imposed a lifetime ban effective from the date of the final award. The decision underscores the strict enforcement of anti-doping regulations and the severe consequences for repeated violations, highlighting the role of ABP data in anti-doping enforcement and the importance of longitudinal biological profiling in detecting sophisticated doping methods.