The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected the appeal of Raimo Reinsalu, a coach for both Latvian and Lithuanian figure skaters, who sought to overturn his exclusion from participating in the Olympic Games. The dismissal comes after CAS heard his arguments in a special session dedicated to Olympic matters. Reinsalu’s case was tied to a provisional suspension, which CAS explained is a precautionary measure intended to protect the integrity of sports rather than a punitive action.

CAS emphasized that the seriousness of the accusations against Reinsalu justified the International Skating Union's (ISU) decision to keep him suspended until a final verdict is reached. The tribunal noted that allowing Reinsalu to remain in his coaching role during the ongoing investigation posed risks that could compromise the ISU's ethical guidelines aimed at upholding fairness and integrity in the sport. As a result, the court upheld the provisional measures, effectively barring Reinsalu from Olympic involvement.

This ruling has implications not only for Reinsalu’s professional career but also for the broader figure skating community, highlighting the vigilance necessary to maintain ethical standards within competitive sports. The situation reflects ongoing challenges in managing the balance between athlete representation and adherence to integrity protocols. It raises questions about the future involvement of coaches in controversial circumstances and the precedents that such cases might set for athlete and coach conduct standards in the context of international competitions.