CAS sets date for Bruyneel appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will next month hear Johan Bruyneel’s appeal against the 10-year ban handed out to him by the American Arbitration Association. On the same day, March 2, it will also hear from WADA as it seeks a longer ban.

Former US Postal Service team manager Bruyneel was charged in June 2012 at the same time as Lance Armstrong. However, unlike Armstrong, Bruyneel chose to fight the allegations brought against him by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) through arbitration – as did two former members of the team staff, doctor Pedro Celaya and trainer Jose 'Pepe' Martí.

In April 2014 the American Arbitration Association (AAA) banned Bruyneel for 10 years after concluding that the Belgian was "at the apex of a conspiracy to commit widespread doping" with bans of eight years for Celaya and Marti for their part in the conspiracy. The ban is backdated to when Bruyneel was originally charged and would end on June 11, 2022.

In June, Bruyneel appealed the case to the CAS, around the same time that WADA announced its intention to appeal for a longer ban. Marti is also looking to have his ban reduced and that case too will be heard the same day.