ZURICH – Danis Zaripov, who was previously suspended for a period of two years from participating in all competitions or activities authorized or organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation ("IIHF") or any IIHF Member National Association, shall be permitted to return to playing on 23 November 2017 and to return to training immediately.

On 21 November 2017, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ("CAS") issued a consent award embodying the terms of a settlement agreement between Danis Zaripov and the IIHF regarding the appeal filed by Mr Zaripov against the decision of the Disciplinary Board of the IIHF ("IIHF Disciplinary Board") sanctioning him for an ineligibility period of two years (23 May 2017 to 23 May 2019) for the unintentional consumption of prohibited substances pursuant to Articles 2.1 and 10.2.2 of the WADA Code. As set forth in the settlement agreement, based upon extensive documentary and expert evidence that was unavailable to the IIHF Disciplinary Board when it rendered its prior decision, the IIHF has concluded that Mr Zaripov has established (i) that he did not engage in intentional doping; (ii) that the source of the substance that was the subject of the challenged IIHF Disciplinary Board decision was a contaminated product, and (iii) that the two-year ineligibility period previously imposed by the IIHF Disciplinary Board shall be reduced to a period of 6 months, commencing 23 May 2017 and ending on 23 November 2017.

Accordingly, as of 23 November 2017, Mr Zaripov is cleared to participate in all competitions or activities authorized or organized by the IIHF or any IIHF Member National Association and to return to training immediately.