[h=3]Koreans’ ‘Whereabouts’ Sanction Lifted[/h]Tuesday, April 15, 2014 - Text by Gayle Alleyne | BWF The one-year sanction against Korean badminton players, Kim Ki Jung and Lee Yong Dae, has been reversed and they are eligible to resume playing immediately. This decision has been taken by the BWF Doping Hearing Panel based on significant new evidence which was presented recently in the Disciplinary Committee process against the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) and in the Joint Appeal Brief to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).Having considered this, the BWF Doping Hearing Panel determined this new and important information should have been made available when the case was heard in January. The information and evidence presented at the January hearing was insufficient and ambiguous and there was no proof beyond reasonable doubt that the players were not at fault. The appropriate decision applied at that time.However, this new evidence renders the CAS Appeal almost entirely unnecessary as it means “material evidence” would be presented for the first time without having been made available to or evaluated by the BWF Doping Hearing Panel. Given the substantial new information in the case, the Panel decided to review its original decision.The Panel has determined all strikes for Missed Tests and Filing Failures against both players in 2013 are cancelled and that no violation was therefore committed. Any record of the sanction against the two doubles’ specialists has been expunged and Lee Yong Dae has been reinstated as a member of the BWF Athletes’ Commission.It is mandatory for players on the BWF’s Registered Testing Pool to provide accurate and up-to-date Whereabouts information and this is an individual responsibility. BKA had assumed an administrative role in managing Korean players’ Whereabouts programme. Following the players’ hearing in January, a disciplinary case was brought against BKA in relation to this matter. The association was fined USD 41,170 for breaching the BWF Anti-Doping Regulations – which BKA admitted – and for failing in its duty of care for Kim and Lee through administrative failure, thereby contributing to the three strikes against the players which made them ineligible.Kim and Lee had been sanctioned for violating the requirements relating to filing Whereabouts information and resulting Missed Tests under the BWF Anti-Doping Regulations (Section 2.4). Their one-year period of ineligibility was to have run from 23 January 2014 to midnight on 23 January 2015. Link:http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=83055 See also:http://www.bwfbadminton.org/file.aspx?id=546129&dl=1
Needless to say, this is a huge development for Korean MD. I think that with these reinstatements, Korea (along with CHN, INA, and DEN) are a hot contender for TC. Hopefully LYD can also finally win a MD WC this year
wow... great news for badminton hopefully korea & other nation learn from this and becareful with the drug testing stuffs
I wonder how much pressure was brought to bear on the BWF In any case, this is great news for badminton fans everywhere!
Great news for the Indonesia Open next June. Hopefully Lee Yong Dae and Kim Ki Jung would participate in the tournament. Can't wait to see them in action again!
They want to gain more point specially after missing some important tournament and ranking point since the beginning of the year, so they are expected to make a trip to Istora Senayan... They want those ranking points to be seeded at the Worlds and to be selected as the top pairs for Asian Games at home at Incheon
Well, it looks like BKA took all the blame, saying that they were in charge of coordinating the player's whereabouts, when BWF specifically states that it should be the responsibility of the individual player.
The article do not actually says what is the "new evidence" making the hearing unecessary. Though I am happy to see Yoo and Lee back, it sounds a little fishy for now.
"It is mandatory for players on the BWF’s Registered Testing Pool to provide accurate and up-to-date Whereabouts information and this is an individual responsibility. BKA had assumed an administrative role in managing Korean players’ Whereabouts programme. Following the players’ hearing in January, a disciplinary case was brought against BKA in relation to this matter. The association was fined USD 41,170 for breaching the BWF Anti-Doping Regulations – which BKA admitted – and for failing in its duty of care for Kim and Lee through administrative failure, thereby contributing to the three strikes against the players which made them ineligible." This is the new evidence.
if the "crucial info" was provided back then, maybe the korean doubles might not even have gotten sanctioned?
I see that it is what the article says, but there is nothing new in that. The BKA have said right from the start that it was responsible. And it is also stipulated clearly that the players must take responsability. How can the BWF suspend the BKA? This is like saying "the penalty for not taking the drug test is a fine".