2018/03: Marco Sietas’s Appeal Terminated by Court of Arbitration for Sport

::: WDSF Press Release ::: Issue 07/08/2018 :::

The Decision of the WDSF Disciplinary Council dated January 10, 2018 partially upholding the Presidium’s findings regarding former WDSF Sports Director Marco Sietas, of Spain (ESP) is now definitively final and binding.

The suspension was ordered against Mr. Sietas in relation to an incident of improper behavior (physical aggression) towards a judge, Ms. Edite Daniute, of Lithuania (LTU) during a DanceSport competition held at Bucharest, Romania on March 12, 2017.

The decision of the Disciplinary Council confirmed in principle a sanction initially ordered by the Presidium on June 4, 2017. The Disciplinary Council reduced the duration of the suspension ordered by the Presidium from 2 years to 8 months, from June 3, 2017 to February 2, 2018, Mr Sietas filed an appeal against the Disciplinary Council Decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland (“CAS”). However he did not respond to repeated requests from CAS to pay the CAS hearing fees by the deadline set by the CAS.  So the CAS has  accordingly deemed his appeal to be withdrawn and those CAS proceedings have been fully and finally terminated.

With this withdrawal, the decision of the Disciplinary Council has become definitively final and binding. In the meantime, Mr Sietas has fully served his suspension.

The Presidium takes this opportunity to express its satisfaction that the Decision of the Disciplinary Council conforms with the strict line it follows in regard to violence. Violent behaviour does not belong in DanceSport and must be absolutely banned from it. The Presidium will consistently and strictly sanction any occurrences of this kind.

WDSF Discpliplinary Council decision
CAS Dismissal of Appeal

PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE WDSF PRESIDIUM
August 7, 2018