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World Sailing appeals to CAS on Russian yachtsman Novikov competing for Vanuatu

Mikhail Novikov, who competes in the Olympic Formula Kite class, is currently taking part in the Last Chance regatta in France, which is a qualifying competition for a berth in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. World Sailing, the world’s governing body for the sport of sailing, has submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against Russian yachtsman Mikhail Novikov regarding the legitimacy of his recent participation in competitions under the flag of Vanuatu, according to documents obtained by TASS on Wednesday.

The Swiss-based CAS organization announced in a statement on Wednesday that the "World Sailing v. Mikhail Novikov" case hearing was scheduled for April 29.

In April 2023, Russian medalist at the European and world championships Novikov submitted an application to World Sailing requesting to change his national affiliation. The appeal was turned down by the organization.

In November 2023, the leadership of World Sailing announced in a statement that "Mikhail Novikov could sail for Vanuatu, however, to reserve all World Sailing rights a notice of appeal to CAS would be filed. Communication to the sailor would need to make it clear that he would enter at his own risk and that if the CAS appeal was successful then he would be disqualified retrospectively."

Novikov, who competes in the Olympic Formula Kite class, is currently taking part in the Last Chance regatta in France, which is a qualifying competition for a berth in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. During the previous Olympic qualifying regatta last December in Australia he finished in 4th place. The Russian is competing under the flag of Vanuatu.

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be hosted by the French capital of Paris between July 26 and August 11.

Novikov, 19, is the winner of the 2021 Youth Sailing European Championship and is also a bronze medalist of the 2021 Youth Sailing World Championships. He is also the winner of the 2023 Pan American Games in Formula Kite class competing under the flag of Vanuatu.

World Sailing’s ban of Russia, Belarus

On March 1, 2022, World Sailing ruled to suspend Russian and Belarusian athletes from all its internationally sanctioned events citing the developments in Ukraine as the reason. In May 2023, the organization announced a decision to uphold the suspension of Russia and Belarus indefinitely.