It is therefore already certain that, even in the event of a success at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the South Tyrolean could only compete in the 50 km walk and not also on the 20. Precisely for this reason Fidal, the Italian federation, has already established that Matteo Giupponi will run the 20 km, who will repeat in the 50 km in the event of a negative outcome of the appeal. The sensation is precisely that of a negative outcome, indeed Schwazer risks a maxi disqualification or even radiation. "Disqualify Alex Schwazer for eight years", was the request of the IAAF after the proceedings held on Monday in Rio de Janeiro to decide on the appeal of the Italian walker.
“We saw Alex serene, motivated and determined as before a race. And usually he wins races, let's hope he wins this one too”. During a break, the lawyer Giuseppe Sorcinelli recounted the course of the hearing at the Tas in Rio, after two hours of debate: “The judges accepted the testimony of Professor Donati – he added – through the use of the video projector for the presentation of his testimony”. The defense, Sorcinelli said, also disputes a formal defect, i.e. the indication of the origin of the sample not permitted by the regulation, taken on New Year's Eve in a check carried out in Racines on Alex Schwazer, which would in fact allow the athlete to be identified Bolzano: "Before Donati's testimony, the texts of the IAAF will be heard which tend to reaffirm the regularity of the collection and transport of the offending test tube to the laboratory".