Sports Law
We represent clients from the world of sport before Sporting, Arbitration and Judicial organs, in particular :
- Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS):
The Partners of Libra Law have participated in more than one hundred proceedings before the CAS. Moreover, while Mr Ibarrola was a Counsel to the CAS, he supervised more than 400 arbitrations in 4 years.
- Sports Authorities of the National and International Federation:
To date, we have assisted parties before the following bodies of sports federations:- FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber
- FIFA Player Status Committee
- FIBA Arbitral Tribunal
- UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body
- UEFA Appeals Body
- FILA Appeal Commission
- IBU Court of Arbitration
- FIG Disciplinary Commission and Appeal Tribunal
- UCI License Commission
- FINA Doping Panel
- BWF Doping Hearing Panel
- IWF Doping Hearing Panel
- ACVF Appeal Body
- The Swiss Federal Court:
The Partners of Libra Law hold Swiss Bar Certificates and can therefore proceed before the Swiss Federal Court. To date, we have filed more than 30 appeals before the Swiss Supreme Court and have successfully defended the interests of various parties.
- Other courts or authorities in Switzerland and the Canton of Vaud: Certain sports disputes are sometimes held before ordinary courts. Libra Law uses its local expertise for the benefit of its clients in order to assist them before the Swiss Courts, in particular in Lausanne, where numerous international sports federations are based, and in Nyon, where UEFA is seated.
- Contracts:
Negotiation, drafting and review of all types of agreements in the Sports Domain, in particular sponsor contracts, work contracts, event organisation or athletes' agent agreements, etc.
- Advice to sports bodies (National or International Sports Federations, National Olympic Committees, Sports Clubs, etc.):
- Drafting of statutes or regulations
- Disputes related to the application of regulations adopted by a sport federation
- Implementation of anti-doping rules, mainly the World Anti-Doping Code, the International Standards or the technical documents issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency
- Support in the frame of international competitions (Olympic Games, World or Continental Championships)
- Legal support relating to the organisation of international competitions (contracts, legal planification and strategy, representation, negotiation or mediation in the frame of competitions)
- Legal and tax support for the setting-up of a sport organisation in Switzerland
- Tort liability
- Judicial representation and assistance:
Libra Law regularly represents players, football clubs, players' agents or national football federations before FIFA or national federations judicial bodies, before the Court of Arbitration for Sport or before the Swiss Federal Court
- Agreements:
Review and negotiation of all types of agreements in the football domain, in particular sponsor contracts, work contracts, event organisation or players' agent agreements, etc.
- Legal support to football clubs:
Legal audit for football clubs, optimisation of entitlement for training and solidarity compensation
- Assistance and representation
Representation and assistance of parties in doping matters before anti-doping bodies of sports federations, event organisers or national anti-doping organisations, before the Court of Arbitration for Sports or before the Swiss Federal Court.
- Support in the fight against doping
Support to National or International Sports Federations, National Olympic Comittees, National Anti-Doping Organisations and event organisers in connection with the fight against doping; compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code.
- Implementation of anti-doping rules
Advice to anti-doping organisations (national or international sports federations, national olympic comittees, national anti-doping organisations and events organisers) in order to implement the bodies or legal structures required by the World Anti-Doping Agency or issue any decision in doping matters
- Tax optimisation for athletes and clubs
- Financial and tax planning, in particular towards the end of a professional sports career
- Assistance to international mobility, relocation