MUNICH (AP) - A German court has rejected speedskater Claudia Pechstein’s bid to win compensation for her contested doping suspension, but raised questions over whether athletes must agree to recognize rulings from sports tribunals.
She served a two-year ban from 2009-2011 for abnormal blood levels despite never failing a doping test. She says a hereditary anomaly was responsible but lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A Munich state court on Wednesday rejected Pechstein’s call for 3.5 million euros ($4.8 million) compensation from the International Skating Union and Germany’s speedskating governing body, news agency dpa reported.
However, the court said agreements between Pechstein and sports governing bodies stipulating the athlete must recognize sports tribunal rulings were invalid because she had “no choice” in signing.
Pechstein competed in her sixth Olympics at Sochi, but didn’t medal. In her Olympic career, she won nine medals, including five golds.
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