The case involves Nadezhda Sergeeva, a bobsleigh athlete who competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and was found to have violated anti-doping rules. On February 18, 2018, Sergeeva underwent an out-of-competition doping control, which detected Trimetazidine, a prohibited substance classified as a metabolic modulator under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. This finding constituted an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). Sergeeva competed in the two-person bobsleigh event on February 20 and 21, finishing in 12th place. On February 23, she was notified of the adverse analytical result and accepted it, waiving her right to have the B-sample analyzed.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) filed an application with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division (ADD), seeking sanctions including disqualification of Sergeeva’s individual and team results, her exclusion from the Games, and the withdrawal of her accreditation. The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) joined as a co-applicant, requesting a provisional suspension for Sergeeva beyond the Olympic period. Sergeeva accepted the provisional suspension but reserved her right to argue for a reduced sanction based on the "No Fault or Negligence" principle in future proceedings.
The CAS ADD confirmed its jurisdiction over the case, as delegated by the IOC under the Olympic Charter and the IOC Anti-Doping Rules. The panel, consisting of a sole arbitrator, determined that bobsleigh is not a team sport under the IOC ADR definition, which requires the possibility of player substitution during competition. However, since awards are given to teams in bobsleigh, the consequences of an ADRV could extend to the team under Article 11.3 of the IOC ADR and the IBSF Anti-Doping Rules. The arbitrator confirmed Sergeeva’s ADRV under Article 2.1 of the IOC ADR (presence of a prohibited substance) and disqualified her individual results. The decision on team disqualification and further sanctions was deferred to subsequent proceedings involving the IBSF and the athlete.
The final decision included disqualification of Sergeeva’s individual and team results, her exclusion from the Olympics, and the requirement to leave the Olympic Village and return her accreditation. The IBSF’s request for a provisional suspension was granted, and the proceedings continued between the IBSF and Sergeeva to determine further consequences. The case highlights the procedural framework for handling doping violations during the Olympics, the distinction between individual and team consequences in non-team sports, and the role of the CAS ADD as the first-instance authority for such disputes. Sergeeva’s provisional suspension remained in effect pending the outcome of further proceedings, which would address potential reductions in her ineligibility period based on the "No Fault or Negligence" principle. The case underscores the importance of compliance with anti-doping regulations to maintain fairness and integrity in sports competitions.