MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI) – The Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has initiated proceedings over urgent appeals filed by 32 Russian athletes, who were not invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to participate in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, the CAS press-release reads.

The applicants ask the court to “overturn the IOC decision and allow them to participate in these Games as Olympic Athletes from Russia,” according to the CAS statement.

The court noted that a panel of arbitrators has already been formed and that a hearing in the case is likely to take place on February 7.

On February 1, the CAS fully upheld 28 and partially upheld 11 appeals filed by Russian athletes disqualified for life from participating in the Olympic games because of the doping suspicions.

CAS reviewed each of the cases on individual basis and did not find evidence against 28 athletes to be sufficient. At the same the court ruled that 11 athletes did violate anti-doping rule regulation but changed the punishment: instead of being banned for life the sportsmen were prohibited only from participating in the upcoming Olympic games in the Republic of Korea.

Later, Thomas Bach stated that he is disappointed of CAS decision and called for reformation of the court.

On February 5, a IOC commission refused to invite 13 sportsmen and 2 coaches from Russia, who were earlier found not guilty of violating anti-doping rules.