Two Investigations to Watch in 2015

Two significant investigations are scheduled to report their findings in 2015.

One is the recently-created three person committee established by the World Anti-Doping Agency hot on the heels of revelations of systematic doping by Russia in the IAAF.  The committee includes Richard Pound and Richard McClaren, both long-time sports insiders. Pound is a member of the IOC and McClaren is a CAS arbitrator. Both are highly respected. However, Pound was the first president of WADA and can hardly be considered independent. Sports governing bodies have yet to fully appreciate the significance of independent advice. The third member of the committee has not been announced. WADA does not say when the committee will report, but it seems unlikely to go on too long without reporting, given the magnitude of the allegations.

The second is the Cycling Independent Reform Commission established one year ago by the UCI to investigate various allegations which resulted from the USADA investigation of Lance Armstrong and his team mates. That commission was to have reported by the end of 2014, so it seems likely that it should be saying something soon (maybe by the end of February). That three-person committee includes:  Dick Marty,Ulrich Haas and Peter Nicholson. A number of cyclists, including Armstrong, have reportedly met with the CIRC. At Sporting Intelligence, Teddy Cutler has an in depth look at the CIRC.

Expectations are very high for the CIRC and the WADA committee has barely gotten started. Both have the potential to profoundly change the landscape of sport. Stay tuned.