50206 - SPORTS LAW

In order to feel comfortable with this course, it is recommended that students become familiar with the fundamentals of legal systems. To this end, see the teaching materials recommended below.

This course provides students with an overview of the legal framework of the sports business. Students learn the basic concepts to be applied to any action and/or transaction in order to develop an informed decision for themselves and their (future) sports clients. It further provides with a general overview of the professional services as well as the legal structures needed by sportspeople to develop and to maintain their wealth. Students are expected as well to gain the legal mindset to support business managers and consultants in their activity. Fundamental issues concerning sports contract negotiation are raised and discussed.

1          Introduction to the course and general definition of Sports Law.

        - Key aspects of Sports Law

        - From «fair play» to sports regulations

        - Origins and definition of Sports Law

        - International aspects and «Lex Sportiva»

        - Sports Law vs. Ordinary Law: interaction between the two systems

        - Main sources of Sports Law: EU law and the impact on sports activities in Europe

        - The EU Model of sport

2        The «specificity of sport»
- The EU and the sports system

- Social and economic impact on sport

- Background of article 165 TFEU: the White Paper on Sports, the European Dimension in Sport and the development of the principle of specificity of Sport

- Article 165 of TFEU

- Case study: «Walrave-Koch», «Bosman» and «Meca-Medina»

 3          Olympism

- The Olympic Charter

- IOC and the Olympic Movement

- The Olympic Games

- NOC & Host City Contract

 4          Contracts – Part I
- General overview

- Importance of contracts’ negotiations in sports

- Definitions and conditions for validity

- Main categories of sports contracts

 5        Contracts – Part II – Endorsement Agreements
- Endorsement agreement: analysis and practical issues

- Exclusivity terms

- Economic terms
- Moral clauses
- Right of first refusal

- Termination and consequences
- Confidentiality and privacy terms: GDPR

- Disputes and case study: Federer/Nike

 6       Contracts – Part III – Sponsorship and other Sports contracts

- Sponsorship and supply agreement
- Representation agreement
- Sports event agreement. Overview of the impact of the pandemic crisis on sports events and the contractual clause of force majeure
- Media coverage agreement 

- Image rights agreements   
- Ambush marketing and case study

7          Intellectual Property and sports: general overview

- IP and sports

- IP categories

- The Olympic Rings and the IOC TOP Programme

- Legal protection

- WIPO and sport-related IP

8          Intellectual Property and sports II.

- Commercial value of IP in sports

- Exploitation of IP rights: licensing and broadcasting activities and introduction to image rights: main legal issues

- Case study: the FA’s licensing system, UEFA and an overview of the US system

 9       Assignment I  “HOST CITY CONTRACT”

10        Sports Justice I

- Controversial aspects

- The specificity of Sport and the special needs of the sport system

- Definition of Sports Justice

- Sports Justice vs. Ordinary Justice

- Major players and role of the ECJ

11       Sports Justice II

- Arbitration and mediation

- The Court of Arbitration for Sport: overview and available procedures

12        Sports Justice III

- Procedural aspects

- Case Simulation

- Case study

13          Sports Justice: CAS case study   

14        Principles of tax law in sports
- The OECD Taxation Model and article 17

15        International Tax Planning in sports

- Tax planning, tax optimisation and risks of tax evasion

- Image rights structures 

- Challenges by tax authorities 

- Favourable tax regimes 

16        Governance Models of Sports Institutions

- Case study: FIFA

17        FIFA Regulations: RSTP

- FIFA and its continental agencies

- FIFA Regulations

- FIFA RSTP

- Article 19 and players of minor age

- Case study

18        FIFA Transfer System

19        FIFA Dispute Resolution

20       ASSIGNMENT II  “SUPERLEAGUE”

21        Anti-doping regulations

- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its role

-  WADA Code: definitions and anti-doping rules’ violation, testing procedures, sanctions

- The biological passport

22        Controversial aspects of sport

- Equality and diversity

- Racism and discrimination

- Protection of human rights in sports: human rights in sports regulations (Olympic Charter), the approach of CAS and the international law perspective. Initiatives and efforts of the sports system

23        Controversial aspects of sport II

- Ambush marketing

- Piracy

- Betting

24        New trends of sports

- Electric sports

- E-sports

• Defining the fundamentals of the international sports law system.
• Recognizing the major standards in drafting and evaluating sports contracts.
• Illustrating the impact of intellectual property rights on sports management.

• Assessing the legal issues involved in sports management.
• Interpreting and drawing up sports contracts.
• Evaluating the legal risk of some controversial sports practices.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Group assignments

• ·         Guest speakers intervene during classes to deliver a talk on their own field of experience

  ·         Case studies are illustrated and discussed in class

  ·         Assignments consist in drawing up a memorandum supported by a PP presentation in class

·         Class participation:   up to 6/30 points  

·         Assignments:           up to 14/30 points                          

·         General exam:         up to 11/30 points                         

Class participation and assignments are purported to verify the skills and abilities to assess the legal issues involved in sports management, to interpret and draw up sports contracts, to evaluate the legal risk of some controversial sports practices.

The general exam is purported to verify the knowledge of the fundamentals of the international sports system, of the major standards in drawing up and evaluating sports contracts, of the impact of intellectual property rights on sports management. It consists of 11 multiple-choice questions. For each multiple-choice question, three possible answers are given, only one of them being the right one. Each right answer is awarded 1 point; no penalty for wrong or missing answers are given.

Non-attending students must take a general exam, consisting of 27 multiple-choice questions and 2 open ended questions. For each multiple-choice question, four possible answers are given, only one of them being the right one. Each right answer is awarded 1 point; no penalty for wrong or missing answers are given. Answers to open ended questions are evaluated up to 2 points each. The general exam is purported to assess the knowledge of the fundamentals of the international sports system, of the major standards in drawing up and evaluating sports contracts, of the impact of intellectual property rights on sports management.

For students who have not yet taken exams in law: P. Sirena, Introduction to Private Law, 3rd edn, il Mulino, 2021. 

Further teaching material for attending students are circulated in class.

For students who have not yet taken exams in law: P. Sirena, Introduction to Private Law, 3rd edn, il Mulino, 2021. 

Further teaching material for non-attending students are available on the Bboard platform.