Andrea Iannone's ordeal will continue for another month. The one who is still the pilot of an Aprilia factory, who also finds himself trapped by paying the high price for his loyalty to his employee, hoped to put an end to this matter of positive doping control. He has the arguments to argue his good faith and, therefore, to challenge his sanction of an 18-month suspension pronounced on March 31. We are in mid-October, which means that he is still serving this sentence which, with this procedure, could also turn into four years of solitary confinement...
Such is the justice of sport. Andrea Iannone will not have any news of his call before the mid-November next. This is the official press release which says so, and it should be noted that it only gives a period, and not a precise date. Joe the Maniac therefore remains in suspense, torn between the hope of seeing himself completely absolved and the fear of seeing his career condemned to death through an increase in his suspension of up to 4 years.
What is certain is that his meager aspirations of riding the RS-GP before the end of this season have vanished. As for the manufacturer Aprilia, who is eyeing Andrea Dovizioso et Cal Crutchlow on the market and therefore takeable if the worst-case scenario were to be validated for Iannone, it remains stuck. A damaging situation which raises many questions about the functioning of the system... In the meantime, here is the official press release.
PRESS RELEASE
Update on CAS procedures in the IANNONE versus FIM and WADA versus ANDREA IANNONE & FIM arbitrations
Lausanne, October 16, 2020 –
The hearing of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling on the appeal of arbitration proceedings initiated by Italian MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone and the World Anti-Doping Committee (WADA) took place on October 15, 2020.
The panel of arbitrators will now deliberate and finalize the arbitration award containing their decision.
It should be notified by mid-November 2020. The final award will be announced on the CAS website.
The proceedings concern the decision taken by the International Disciplinary Court of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) dated March 31, 2020 (the contested decision) in which Andrea Iannone was found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation and a period of 18 months of ineligibility was imposed on him.
Andrea Iannone requests the annulment of the contested decision, while WADA requests that the contested decision be replaced by a new decision imposing a four-year period of ineligibility for the driver.
