Q&A regarding the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions
What Sponsors Can Learn From The 2022 World Cup Beer Fiasco
Ten steps sports organisations must take to better protect children in sport
The difficulties of athlete selection appeals: Key Considerations For Governing Bodies
The Harsh Reality Of Selection Disputes: Lessons From The Sebastian Temesi Commonwealth Games Case
Negotiating athlete endorsement agreements in India
Force Majeure: How The Obligation To Use ‘Reasonable Endeavours’ Affects The Sports Sector
Sports Lawyer In Spotlight: Lindsay Brandon
Sports Law in 2022 – Key issues to watch in North America
An open letter by Joel Bouzou, Oly
I write to address the misunderstandings caused by an inaccurate and wayward attack on our International Federation in recent days.
Discussions around the future composition of Modern Pentathlon and especially the Riding discipline have stirred emotions since UIPM announced the 5th Discipline consultation process on November 4. This is nothing new. There were question marks around Riding when I competed in the 1980s and early 1990s (even the IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, suggested after the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992 that horses should be replaced by bicycles).
Incomplete, Unclear & Contradictory...How CAS & the Swiss Federal Tribunal Approach Pathological Arbitration Clauses
IOC and The Adecco Group announce extension of Athlete365 Career+ collaboration
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced an extension to its support agreement with The Adecco Group, the world’s leading talent solutions company, to help strengthen its support for athletes through Athlete365 Career+.
IOC and UNODC extend collaboration to fight corruption and crime in sport
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) extended their memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the cooperation between the two organisations in fighting corruption and crime in sport.
ITA Chair addresses National Olympic Committees at ANOC General Assembly
Dr Valérie Fourneyron, the chair of the ITA Foundation Board, was honoured to address National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and representatives of the international sports movement at the 25th ANOC General Assembly. the focus was on the successful cooperation in the implementation of the independent anti-doping programme at the Olympic Games in Tokyo that the ITA had managed, the upcoming winter games in Beijing and increased cooperation regarding major continental events.
Beijing 2022 Playbooks published
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022) published the first editions of the Beijing 2022 Playbooks today.
IOC EB approves Olympic Qualification System Principles for Paris 2024
The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved today the Qualification System Principles (QSP) for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, outlining the rules for all the qualification systems that will now be established by the International Sports Federations (IFs) for these Games.
IOC and Beijing 2022 upcoming events in Greece – Information for the media
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) will meet on Saturday 16 October 2021 in Athens, Greece.
The EB is scheduled to receive updates on the activities of the Olympic Movement and the IOC administration, plus reports from the Organising Committees for future Olympic Games.
The ITA issues a decision sanctioning Ning Liu to a lifetime period of ineligibility for administration of prohibited substances and complicity
The International Testing Agency (ITA) reports that it has issued a decision to sanction former doctor of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association, Ning Liu to a lifetime period of ineligibility for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) of administration and complicity.
WADA Foundation Board approves Finnish Olympian Emma Terho as new member of Executive Committee
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Foundation Board (Board) has formally approved the appointment of the Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, Ms. Emma Terho, as one of the five Sport Movement representatives on the Executive Committee (ExCo), effective immediately. Ms. Terho from Finland replaces Slovakia’s Danka Barteková on the ExCo.
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 - Updates on Spectators, Vaccination and COVID-19 Countermeasures
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) held an Executive Board (EB) meeting today, in the presence of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Beijing 2022 informed the EB of the principles that will help deliver safe and successful Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as scheduled.
Report IBSF Congress 2021
The Congress of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation IBSF was held virtually on September 16 and 17, 2021, with the Executive Committee informing the participants with their reports and being available to answer questions from the delegates.
Tokyo 2020: ITA succeeded in fully implementing anti-doping program for Olympic Games despite challenging COVID-19 circumstances
A total of 6’200 collected samples from over 5’000 doping controls, more than one-third of the athlete population in Tokyo tested at least once – these are the final figures of ita’s anti-doping program for Tokyo 2020. Six anti-doping rule violations were asserted to this moment as the outcome of ita’s testing program. The vast majority of doping controls were targeted and followed a quality approach based on an extensive risk assessment, performance and available intelligence. The last phase of ita’s comprehensive anti-doping program for Tokyo 2020 is the storage and later re-analysis of samples collected during and in the lead-up to the games.
International Skating Union releases transgender policy
The International Skating Union (ISU) has released a transgender policy which details criteria for transgender athletes to be able to compete.
Heat countermeasures protecting athletes at Tokyo 2020
Organisers of summer sports events have to plan carefully to prevent heat-related illnesses. A group of medical experts have developed a suite of tools for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, to counteract the effects of high temperatures and keep the competitions safe for athletes.
Tokyo Olympians elect four new members to IOC Athletes’ Commission
The athletes at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have elected Pau Gasol, Maja Włoszczowska, Federica Pellegrini and Yuki Ota to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Athletes’ Commission (AC), for a term ending at the Olympic Games LA28. The newly elected members join the Commission to represent the athlete voice within the Olympic Movement.
Athlete Groups call on the Minister of Sport to support a national judicial inquiry
A Summary of Key Sports Law Cases In Australia in 2022
Sports Lawyer In The Spotlight: Andrew Smith
The Difficulties Of Selection, De-Selection And Selection Appeals: Key Considerations For Athletes
Ammendments to the CODE OF SPORTS-RELATED ARBITRATION with effect from November 1
Top 10 Tips For Launching An ‘Independent Review’ In Sport
Summary of the proceedings pending before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) relating to Appeals of Russian athletes, federations and teams
The Case of Olympic Skater Kamila Valieva - Was CAS’s Decision Justified?
Sports Law in 2022 – Key issues to watch in Asia, Africa & Oceania
WADA posts IOC’s Anti-Doping Rules for Beijing 2022 Games
At the request of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and as was the case for previous Olympic Games, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) posts the IOC’s Anti-Doping Rules (Rules) and accompanying circular letter applicable to the Olympic Games Beijing 2022 (2022 Games) taking place in February 2022.
Managing TUEs during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 – A guide for athletes
One change of nationality approved for Beijing 2022
An application for a change of nationality was accepted today by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) as it held a hybrid meeting from Lausanne, which concluded a series of commission meetings in the course of the week.
Influential IOC member highlights sporting risks of biennial World Cup
Mustapha Berraf, first-vice president of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, has raised further concerns about staging a football World Cup every two years.
WADA President emphasizes important role of National Olympic Committees in speech to the Association of National Olympic Committees
Yesterday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President, Witold Bańka, delivered a speech to the 25th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) held in Crete, Greece.
Speaking to the assembled delegates from the world’s 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), Mr. Bańka emphasized the importance of the role of NOCs in anti-doping.
Olympism 365: Strengthening the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today endorsed the Olympism 365 strategy. It aims to strengthen the role of sport as an important enabler for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) and to connect people with the Olympic values everywhere, every day.
Record number of athletes to run for IOC Athletes’ Commission election at Beijing 2022
The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today approved a list of 17 athletes (a record number for the Olympic Winter Games) covering all five continents, who have proposed their candidatures for the IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC) election that will take place at the upcoming Games in Beijing.
Women to race men in Sail Grand Prix
Women will race against men for the first time in Sail Grand prix history this weekend.
WADA launches new e-learning course for athletes and coaches heading to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
With the start of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 scheduled for February 2022, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announces the launch of a new interactive education course on its Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL) for athletes and coaches aiming to attend the Olympic Winter Games.
The ITA supports pre-Games education for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA), LEADING AN INDEPENDENT ANTI-DOPING PROGRAM FOR THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BEIJING 2022, HAS SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW INTERACTIVE EDUCATION COURSE FOR ATHLETES AND COACHES AIMING TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING WINTER GAMES. THIS CLEAN SPORT COURSE WAS DEVELOPED BY THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY (WADA) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ITA AND THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) AND IT LAUNCHES TODAY ON WADA’S EDUCATION PLATFORM ADEL. THE ITA IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR A PRE-GAMES EDUCATION PROJECT DESIGNED TO ENABLE CODE SIGNATORIES TO EDUCATE THEIR DELEGATIONS BEFORE THEY HEAD TO BEIJING.
IOC President urges sports bodies to Register for climate action
IOC President Thomas Bach has urged more sports bodies to join the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and commit to meaningful climate action. He was speaking at the Sport Positive Summit, the annual gathering of Framework signatories, of which there are currently more than 270.
IOC Transgender Guidelines further delayed to 2022
The International Olympic Committee transgender guidelines have been delayed until 2022 due to “very conflicting opinions.”
The guidelines are now expected to be published after the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing which would be three years later than originally planned. The IOC’s science and medical director Dr Richard Budgett said the guidance would “prioritise inclusion” and “avoid harm.”
No positive tests reported in the re-analysis of long-term storage samples of Australian athletes
There were no positive tests reported in the re-analysis of long-term storage samples of Australian athletes prior to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games.
ICC confirms cricket’s Olympic ambition
The International Cricket Council has today confirmed its intention to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. The ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport which will be focused on cricket becoming part of the Olympic family for LA 2028, Brisbane 2032 and beyond.
Statement on the Reduction of Mark Dry’s Ban from Sport
A UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) spokesperson said today: “We note the decision following Mark Dry’s appeal. We are pleased that the independent appeal tribunal unanimously endorsed UKAD’s Issued Decision dated 7 May 2021, which reduces Mr Dry’s ban from four years to 28 months.
Teamwork is the key for WADA’s Independent Observers at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is full of teams. Hundreds of national teams, various squads of players for specific team events, individual athletes and their teams of coaches and entourage and even teams of organizers that are busy behind the scenes ensuring the Games run smoothly. And for the members of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Independent Observer (IO) team, it is every bit as important that they work together as a cohesive unit in order to be effective in monitoring the anti-doping system in place during the Games.