Today, 13th February 2013, after long weeks of waiting, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has fully satisfied the main appeal of Katusha Team against the UCI License Commission Decision withdrawing its 2012 professional WorldTour license.
Thus, the decision of the UCI Licence Commission, made on 10th December 2012 about the rejection of the UCI WorldTour license for Katusha Team was annulated. The CAS decision confirmed the validity and legality of the interests of Katusha Team and thereby confirmed the status of Katusha as a member of the World Tour 2013. Shortly, the factual procedures concerning the re-receiving the World Tour license will be cleared between Katusha and the UCI World Tour.
– We can confidently say, that the whole world’s sports community followed the situation of Katusha Team during the last weeks. Katusha Team received a lot of sympathy and support out of different circles: sports officials and the trustees of the Russian Global Cycling Project as well as famous athletes, mass-media and fans. On behalf of both, Katusha Team and the whole Project I would like to express our deep gratefulness to all, who sincerely empathized, hoped and believed that the justice will be restored! This CAS decision is absolutely objective and justified. This proves once again the impartiality of the supreme juridical body of the world of sports, – said Igor MAKAROV, the head of the Russian Global Cycling Project, president of the Russian Cycling Federation, member of the UCI Management Committee, the president of the Board of directors of ITERA company.