A slap in the face for the International Skating Union (ISU). The Court of Justice of the European Union has just ruled against him in a case between him and two Dutch speed skaters, Mark Tuitert and Niels Kersthol. The two athletes, both Olympians, had filed a complaint before the European court after being prevented by the ISU from participating in the lucrative Ice Derby events, a competition tour organized by a South Korean company. The two Dutchmen had been threatened with a lifetime ban if they took part in the tour. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the ISU's rules prohibiting skaters from participating in competitions that it did not organize itself lacked transparency and proportion. “ They give the ISU a clear advantage over its competitors and have adverse effects for the athletes and the public., declared the Court in its judgment. In a decision handed down in 2017, the European Commission had already taken sides against the ISU, finding that the sanctions imposed on the skaters were “ disproportionate. » It also ruled that the ISU regulations prevented the emergence of rival events, thus going against EU rules on cartels and abuse of dominant positions.
