Three Russian Cyclists (Kirill Sveshnikov, Dmitry Strakhov and Dmitry Sokolov) File Claim against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Richard McLaren

TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Kirill Sveshnikov, Dmitry Strakhov and Dmitry Sokolov today filed suit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Court File No: CV-17-582393) against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Richard McLaren, a former Commissioner of WADA; claiming damages against the defendants.

In their Statement of Claim, the three Cyclists allege that WADA and Richard McLaren – in a rushed and compromised investigation – unfairly implicated them in an alleged doping scheme.  The Cyclists allege that as a result, they were banned from the 2016 Rio Olympics and suffered great reputational harm.  The Cyclists will also ask the Court to declare that the Defendants had no basis to conclude that the Cyclists were using performance enhancing drugs.

"Together, WADA and Richard McLaren prevented us from reaching our life-long goal of participating in the Rio Olympics, the pinnacle of our sport, and we allege that they wrongly associated our names with cheaters and doping." said Mr. Sveshnikov, one of the plaintiffs speaking for all three.  Mr. Sveshnikov continued: "We are asking the Court to review all of the evidence and to vindicate us."

The lawyers for the cyclists are:

Eric S. Block, Fiona Legere, Brandon Mattalo
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
[email protected], 416-601-7792

Valentin Borodin
VB & P, LLC
[email protected], [phone]

SOURCE McCarthy Tétrault LLP