SLAM 2027 Moot Problem & Rules Released: Registrations Open
The Moot Problem & Rules for the initial rounds of the 8th Edition of the Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM) have now been released and published.
A Masterclass in Modern Sports Arbitration
This year's case centres on an anti-doping dispute under the upcoming 2027 World Anti-Doping Code, giving participants experience of a real-world problem in sport. Teams must navigate proving the source of a positive test and the absence of intent; the Code's new 'Contaminated Source' framework, including exposure through contact with another person and what a 'reasonable artificial intelligence or comparable search' would reveal; the assessment of fault and an athlete's duty of utmost caution; the admissibility on appeal of late-emerging evidence; and the proportionality of a four-year ban.
Jeffrey Benz, a leading CAS arbitrator and SLAM's Judging Director who drafted this year's case, emphasises its practical relevance: "This problem puts students at the heart of one of the hardest questions in anti-doping, proving where a banned substance came from when the answer lies in everyday life rather than the training room. It tests the newest parts of the 2027 Code alongside principles we apply in real CAS cases. I hope the students learn a great deal from it, and enjoy it."
The moot problem can be found here.
The Rules for the Qualifying Round can be found here.
Open to All Students - No Prior Experience Required
"I'd never come across sports law before we entered," recalls Daniel Griffiths from BPP University and currently an Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, who reached the SLAM 2022 finals. "You don't need any sports law knowledge before you apply. You learn everything throughout the competition. So don't be put off, just go for it and apply."
Registrations remain open until 22 December 2026, giving students the opportunity to register and tackle one of the year's most rewarding international law competitions.
Comprehensive Training and Support Included
All registered teams receive specialised training courses in written submission drafting and oral advocacy techniques, specifically designed for sports arbitration contexts. This ensures that students have the essential skills needed to compete effectively before CAS arbitrators.
"Some of our most successful teams have been late registrants, including competition winners," notes Sean Cottrell, CEO of LawInSport. "We provide comprehensive training in written submissions and oral advocacy to ensure all participants - regardless of when they register - have the skills needed to excel. The key is motivation to learn from the world's leading sports arbitrators."
Shuban Seth from Jindal Global University, SLAM 2023 winner, emphasises the authentic learning experience: "These are actual CAS arbitrators who have judged such cases several times in the past, so the procedure followed was practically the same that would be followed in any CAS hearing. If you research well, you will be confident enough to take questions."
Real-World Learning from Leading Practitioners
SLAM's unique educational value stems from its direct connection to sports arbitration practice. The 100+ judges include CAS arbitrators who've decided landmark anti-doping cases—from Russian state doping appeals to high-profile contaminated supplement disputes involving Olympic champions. Students receive feedback on written submissions from practitioners who handle these issues professionally.
The arbitrators judging us were on the panel of cases we'd actually read in our written submissions," explains Aarun Samra from BPP University and currently an Associate lawyer at Clifford Chance, SLAM 2022 finalist. "That was incredible - like meeting celebrities. These are the people who came up with decisions that permeate through CAS jurisprudence."
The competition culminates at CAS headquarters in Lausanne on 22-23 April 2027, where finalists argue before three-member arbitration panels in the same hearing rooms where landmark sports disputes are decided. The event runs alongside the International Dispute Resolution in Sport Conference, providing unparalleled networking opportunities with sports law's leading figures.
The 2027 edition is organised by LawInSport and presented by Kellerhals Carrard.
Registration closes 22 December 2026 at 23:59 GMT.
Full competition details, registration forms, and eligibility requirements are available here.
About SLAM
The SLAM is a not-for-profit, student moot competition, organised to promote greater knowledge of the values and rules of international sports arbitration, the go-to dispute resolution mechanism in the sector.
SLAM provides students from around the world the opportunity to:
- Develop and showcase their legal and advocacy skills before the world’s leading arbitrators and practitioners virtually and in-person;
- Gain real world experience of international sports arbitration under the leading procedural rules;
- Receive complimentary training on drafting written submissions and advocacy from some of the world’s leading advocates and arbitrators in world sport.
Students compete for the chance to win:
- £1500 for the winners of the competition
- £1000 for the runners-up of the competition
The competition welcomes students from all over the world and strives to be diverse in its student and judging base. Deserving students are provided with financial assistance for both the registration fee and the costs of appearing in the in-person rounds of the competition (if they advance), where there is demonstrated financial need, to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent students from receiving the exposure to sports law through the competition.
It is a non-profit initiative that brings together people from around the world to support and provide opportunities for students to connect, gain valuable experience that will help them in their career in law and sport. SLAM has seen:
- 300+ teams from 30+ countries entering the competition
- 120+ CAS Arbitrators & 150+ advocates, have volunteered their time and expertise to help judge the written submissions.
For more information on the competition, please visit here or email
For more information on sponsoring SLAM, please reach out to
