The South African rugby team ran the risk of playing its Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France without broadcasting its anthem or displaying its flag. This was because South African legislation did not comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency's new regulations. South Africa has appealed to CAS against this decision.
The Springboks were threatened with sanctions for non-compliance of their sports legislation with the World Anti-Doping Code. To avoid sanctions, the Springboks' Minister of Sport has declared that he will appeal the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). As a result, all the country's sportsmen and women were banned from wearing their jerseys, raising their flags and broadcasting their national anthem. With the application for the match against France this Sunday, October 15 at the Rugby World Cup in their sights.
To avoid this, they had until this Friday to bring their legislation into line with WADA's new World Anti-Doping Code, or face sanctions. Given the deadline, it was almost certain that Pretoria would not be able to meet the deadline.
Minister of Sport appeals
The Ministry of Sport has lodged an appeal with CAS in Lausanne (Switzerland) against WADA's decision. The appeal is aimed at "delaying" the effects of WADA's decision? and thus sparing the country a major embarrassment. "This means that the flying of the South African flag at events such as the Cricket and Rugby World Cups will not be affected until CAS has ruled on the case," explained Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa. In his view, the sanctions imposed are inappropriate: "I believe that the grounds for the appeal are sound and that the sanctions are inappropriate. The sanction relating to the ban on hoisting the national flag has created unnecessary hysteria and unfairly punished the athletes and players."
As a reminder, WADA's new code comes into force in 2021, and only South Africa and Bermuda have yet to bring their national legislation into line, according to the Montreal-based anti-doping organization.
South Africa has appealed to CAS against WADA's decision threatening it with sanctions for non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, including a ban on raising its flag at the World Cup this weekend.
L'Afrique du Sud a fait appel auprès du TAS de la décision de l'AMA la menaçant de sanctions pour non-conformité avec le code mondial antidopage, parmi lesquelles l'interdiction de hisser son drapeau notamment à l'occasion du Mondial ce week-end https://t.co/LJBO5wpZac pic.twitter.com/RwGFPyfDmo
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) October 10, 2023
