Search
Paul Harris QC has successfully represented the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) at the ad hoc Olympic Division of the London Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). A CAS Panel composed of Prof. Massimo Coccia (Italy), President, Mr Martin Schimke (Germany) and Ms Maidie Oliveau (USA) dismissed a request for arbitration filed by Irish boxer Joseph Ward who had challenged his non-qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Having not been selected by either by AIBA or by a Tripartite Commission (composed by representatives of the AIBA, the IOC and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), Joseph Ward considered that the authorities had not properly applied the qualification criteria.
After an urgent hearing that lasted from 9pm until 2am, the Panel ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to deal with Joseph Ward’s application, either as an application under the CAS ad hoc Rules for the Olympic Games or as an appeal under the usual rules of the CAS. The Panel also considered that, even if it had had jurisdiction, the application would have been dismissed on the merits, since Ward would not in any event have qualified as the next best ranked boxer at the 2011 World Championships.