Who is Hamid G. Gharavi? The Chair of the panel that ruled to strip US gymnast Jordan Chiles of her medal
In a recent and highly controversial decision, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled to strip US gymnast Jordan Chiles of her bronze medal from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The ruling has drawn significant attention, not only because of its impact on Chiles but also due to the involvement of Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, the chair of the panel that made the decision. Rulings and decisions at the Olympics are quite common and can occur in various forms, such as disqualifications, medal reallocations, and doping violations.
These rulings are typically handled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Who is Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi and his connection to Romania?
Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi is a distinguished figure in the realm of international arbitration and public international law. He is a founding partner of the law firm Derains & Gharavi, based in Paris, and has built a reputation for his expertise in investment treaty and commercial arbitration cases.
Dr. Gharavi also serves as a professor at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, where he teaches investment arbitration.
New documents have revealed that Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, the head of the three person panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sports that overturned a review, has actually represented Romanian interests for years.https://t.co/wComydfyjY
— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 14, 2024
Adding to the controversy is Dr. Gharavi’s history of representing Romanian interests in legal cases. Critics argue that this background raises potential conflict of interest concerns, given that Romania was one of the countries competing against the US in gymnastics. The perception of bias has fueled further scrutiny of the decision and the processes leading up to it.
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