In the 19th and final case brought before the ad hoc chamber of the Court of Arbitration for Sport during the Paris Olympic Games, Yvan Henzer successfully defended the interests of the International Canoe Federation.
The ruling confirms that sports results can only be reviewed in exceptional circumstances when a decision is taken by a jury (the “field of play” doctrine). In this case, the 50-second penalty imposed by the chief judge was upheld by the sole arbitrator and the athlete’s claim for a bronze medal was rejected.
