MotoGP leader Valentino Rossi fails with CAS appeal

Valentino Rossi's hopes of winning a seventh MotoGP title suffered a major blow when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected his appeal against his punishment for an incident during the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Rossi was given a three-point penalty and ordered to start the final race of the season in Valencia this weekend at the back of the grid after being deemed to have kicked Marc Marquez off his bike in Sepang.

The Race Direction said the Movistar Yamaha rider was guilty of "irresponsible racing" while "deliberately causing contact" during lap seven of the penultimate race of the year last month.

Rossi's initial appeals were rejected by the Federation of International Motorcycling (FIM), prompting the Italian to take his case to CAS.

But the 36-year-old has failed to get the decision overturned, so heads into the final race of the season leading Jorge Lorenzo by only seven points and facing the prospect of beginning at the back of the field.

A statement on the official MotoGP website said: "On 4 November 2015, a preliminary hearing was held at the headquarters of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne in the matter Valentino Rossi v. the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme. The FIM was represented by its Legal Director, Mr Richard Perret.

"Following the hearing, the CAS issued an Order dismissing the application for a stay filed by Mr Rossi concerning the decision rendered on 25 October 2015 by the FIM Stewards.

"The CAS ruling on the request for stay of execution does not prejudge the final award on the merits of the case.

"In appealing to the CAS against the decision of the FIM Stewards, Mr Rossi seeks annulment or modification of the FIM Stewards' decision taken at the Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix in Sepang, in which the FIM Stewards confirmed the three penalty points awarded by the Race Direction to Mr Rossi following an incident on Turn 14.

"The FIM takes note of the ruling of the CAS.

"As a consequence of this ruling, at the Gran Premi de la Comunitat Valenciana, last race of the FIM World Championship Grand Prix, Mr Rossi will start from the last position on the grid."

The riders were summoned to attend a summit on Thursday calling for peace after FIM president Vito Ippolito said the feud between Rossi and Marquez had "poisoned" MotoGP.