(SPO) CAS IMPOSES LIFE BAN ON SUREYYA AYHAN KOP.

ANKARA, Nov 11, 2009 (TUR) -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has imposed a life ban on Turkish athlete Sureyya Ayhan Kop and also has lifted the 2-year ban imposed on her trainer and husband Yucel Kop.

Arbitral Tribunal of the Turkish General Directorate of Youth and Sport had banned Sureyya Ayhan Kop to attend competitions for four years. Sureyya Ayhan Kop applied to CAS asking for reduction.

Sureyya Ayhan Kop was subject to an out of competition doping control in September 2007.

The analyses of both the A and B samples revealed the presence of stanozolol and methandienone metabolites. In January 2008, the TAF Disciplinary Commission found the athlete guilty of a doping offence and imposed a life ban upon her for a second anti-doping rule violation under IAAF Ru1es. The athlete referred the case to the Arbitral Tribunal of the General.

Directorate of Youth and Sport, a Turkish national arbitration board specialised in sport-related disputes, which, in May 2008, reduced the sanction to four years' ineligibility.

Yucel Kop has been the athlete's trainer throughout her career. In that respect he functioned as "athlete support personnel" as defined by the IAAF Rules. Mr Kop was sanctioned with a two year period of ineligibility by the TAF Disciplinary Commission in relation to the athlete's second anti-doping rule violation on the principal basis that he had been negligent in his coaching duties. Mr Kop referred the case to the Arbitral Tribunal of the General Directorate of Youth and Sport, which, in May 2008, confirmed the two year sanction.

Mr and Mrs Kop both filed appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport requesting the annulment of the Arbitral Tribunal of the General Directorate of Youth and Sport's decisions.

The IAAF requested that a life ban be imposed on Mrs. Kop.

The CAS Panel has decided to lift the ban which had been imposed on Mr Kop considering that there was no evidence that he violated any anti-doping rule or any disciplinary rule connected with his duties as athlete support personnel in the meaning of the IAAF Rules.

(AY-MS)

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)