Results of Two Integrity Cases

The BWF announced today the outcomes of two different integrity cases involving badminton players.

One case was an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) by the BWF and the other was a recent decision of the BWF Independent Hearing Panel (IHP).

The following is a brief description of the cases, and to provide the link to the reasoned decisions.

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Case 1 – BWF Appeal to CAS – Kate Foo Kune (MRI)

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the appeal by the BWF against a decision of the BWF Doping Hearing Panel in its ruling on Mauritius badminton player Kate Jessica Foo Kune.

In November 2019, the independent BWF Doping Hearing Panel determined that Ms. Kate Jessica Foo Kune committed an anti-doping rule violation resulting in the disqualification of the results of the tournament, but concluded that the player bore no fault or negligence and decided not to impose any period of ineligibility.

While BWF recognised the Doping Hearing Panel’s thorough and careful work, the BWF decided to appeal the decision before CAS as it touched upon the interpretation of fundamental principles of the World Anti-Doping Code and the Anti-Doping Regulations.

CAS handed down their verdict citing that while they accept the breach was unintentional, Foo Kune failed to establish on the balance of probabilities how the prohibited substance entered her body.

CAS affirmed a period of ineligibility of two (2) years, which will end on 4 September 2022.

• CAS Reasoned Decision (linked here)

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Case 2 – BWF Independent Hearing Panel Decision – Nikita Khakimov (RUS)

The BWF Independent Hearing Panel has suspended Nikita Khakimov (RUS) from all badminton-related activity for a period of five (5) years  to 12 October 2025..

The panel found Khakimov was in breach of the BWF Integrity Regulations (Code of Conduct qin Relation to Betting, Wagering and Irregular Match Results (2017) including approaching a player and offering money to manipulate a match at the European Team Championships, betting on badminton matches, failing to properly cooperate with an investigation, and deliberately destroying evidence of a corruption offence to conceal it from the BWF.

The athlete has appealed the decision to CAS.

• IHP Reasoned Decision (linked here)