On the 23 March 2014 the World Bridge Federation (WBF) found Entscho Wladow and Michael Elinescu guilty of cheating by exchanging Unauthorised Information by coughing during the final of the World Seniors Team Championships held in Bali.
The Disciplinary Committee of the WBF imposed a lifelong ban playing as a pair, and a ten-year ban barring them playing as participants in any sanctioned event. Following the WBF’s decision the German Bridge Federation (DBV) decided to adopt similar sanctions.
Therefore, Elinescu and Wladow filed an appeal in Cologne against the WBF and the DBV.
The verdict of the Court of Cologne was announced on the 28th March 2017. The outcome of the proceedings was first announced by the German newspaper ‘Kölnische Rundschau’ in its 30th March edition and then confirmed by a Press Release issued by the Court of Cologne on the 31st March.
Yesterday the verdict of the Court of Cologne has been delivered to the lawyer of the DBV.
The DBV released an official statement on the verdict and all the previous news are confirmed:
a) The Court stated that the sanctions imposed by the DBV to Elinescu and Wladow are unfair and therefore invalide.
b) The Court also stated that the DBV is liable for all damages caused by the sanctions to the players.
c) The appeal against the WBF was dismessed.
As the text of the verdict is very long (35 pages) and complex, a decision on an appeal will be taken by the DBV in the next month. If the DBV doesn’t file an appeal in a month, the decision will become effective.
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