World Players calls on CAS to deliver award for appeal by Jamaican cricketer, John Campbell, after 6th postponement

The World Players Association, together with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations and the West Indies Players’ Association have issued the following statement after the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport delayed its decision for the sixth time concerning an appeal by West Indian cricketer, John Campbell, against a four-year ban imposed by the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO).  

Nyon, Switzerland 29 March 2024 – On October 8, 2022, West Indian Cricketer John Campbell was banned for four years for refusing to submit a blood sample in April 2022, the ban took effect retroactively from May 10, 2022. Attorneys for Mr Campbell filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in December 2022.The matter was heard before CAS in April 2023, and a decision was to be handed down on August 31, 2023. This decision has now been postponed without reason six times with a new ruling date of May 31, 2024, leaving the athlete in an unacceptable state of limbo.

Unfortunately, Mr Campbell’s case is not an isolated incident. Countless players and athletes across codes and countries are being denied access to justice through global sport’s ineffective dispute resolution system, as enforced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Despite longstanding recommendations from human rights experts that CAS overhaul its processes, progress to date has been lacking. This has a devastating impact on athletes like Mr Campbell, who are often forced to abandon their short-term and precarious careers due to the time and money required to run their case.

Player associations worldwide will continue to fight for justice on behalf of their members and athletes everywhere. Extensive reform recommendations based on best practice standards have been tabled with the leadership of global sport’s institutions including the International Olympic Committee, World Anti-Doping Agency and CAS that would embed athlete rights and resolve the vast majority of cases of injustice. It is overdue that these reforms are implemented. Athletes should not be collateral damage as a consequence of the failures in sport’s governance.

The World Players’ Association (WPA) and the Federation of Cricketers’ Association (FICA) stand together with Mr Campbell and West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) in this fight for fairness and urge CAS to do what must be done to deliver the award immediately.