The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has received a request for arbitration from the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) filed against the UCI and ASO

(Lausanne, 6 March 2008 – From the Court of Arbitration for Sport) The International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) and several teams from the UCI Pro Tour filed a request for arbitration during the afternoon of 5 March 2008 with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) requesting that the CAS declare illegal or abusive the injunction preventing the teams from participating in the Paris-Nice race, under the threat of their own suspension, or that of their professional cyclists. The request is directed against the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). Moreover, the claimants are seeking a provisional authorisation from the CAS to participate in the 2008 Paris-Nice race without prejudice of the full examination of the legal or abusive character of the decision taken by the UCI to prevent the teams from competing in the race.

The CAS informed all the parties concerned that an arbitration hearing could take place on 7 March 2008 on the condition that all the parties agreed to accept the jurisdiction of the CAS to decide the case in question. However, neither the UCI nor the ASO have accepted the jurisdiction of the CAS to decide this dispute.

In these circumstances, the CAS must rule during the day of 7 March 2008 on its competence to decide this dispute and, if necessary, on the request for provisional measures filed by the claimants.