Russia doping scandal: Ex-bobsledder Zubkov wins court ruling
Updated 11:58, 15-Jan-2019
Sports Scene
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Retired Russian bobsledder Alexandr Zubkov has won a Moscow City Court ruling which could make it harder for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take away his gold medals after the athlete was stripped of the medals that he won at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi over doping violations.
Zubkov had won gold medals in both two-man and four-man bobsleigh at the 2014 Sochi Olympics as he became the third-oldest pilot to win two-man gold in bobsleigh.
However, the IOC, during its crackdown on the alleged "state-sponsored steroid program in Russia," had declared the Russian flag-bearer's double gold in Sochi null and void in 2017.
Zubkov (L) with Yuri Nagornykh (C), Russia's deputy sports minister, and Alexander Legkov (R), Russian cross-country skier, during a press conference hosted by Russian Olympic Champions to comment on allegations of anti-doping rule violation during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Moscow, May 13, 2016. /VCG Photo

Zubkov (L) with Yuri Nagornykh (C), Russia's deputy sports minister, and Alexander Legkov (R), Russian cross-country skier, during a press conference hosted by Russian Olympic Champions to comment on allegations of anti-doping rule violation during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Moscow, May 13, 2016. /VCG Photo

Zubkov's appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was turned down last year but on Friday Moscow's highest civil court upheld Zubkov's appeal and said the CAS procedure was unfair and should not be recognized in Russia. In that process, the court also rejected an appeal from the Russian Olympic Committee.
After Friday's ruling, it would be very difficult to remove Zubkov as the president of the Russian Bobsled Federation.
Due to the significant ruling in Moscow, Zubkov will continue to be considered as an Olympics champion in Russia, allowing him to retain the lifetime presidential stipend which is awarded to all Olympics medal winners.
(Top image: Alexandr Zubkov of Russia celebrates his gold medal during the four-man bobsleigh event at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, February 23, 2014. /VCG Photo)