International Sports Arbitration
The Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, is pleased to offer an Executive Education course on International Sports Arbitration. Designed for legal practitioners and those wishing to develop a better understanding of modern-day sporting disputes arising out of professional and elite sporting competitions and environments.
Key information
When: 15 June - 25 June 2026, 10:00 - 12:00 (Monday, Thursday) 15:00 -17:00 (Tuesday, Wednesday)
(8 x 2 hour lectures)
Location: The Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Lincoln's Inns Fields, London
Fee: £2,600
Course description and aims
This two-week executive education course will help you build upon existing expertise and knowledge of the world of sport, types of sporting disputes and the various forums which address these disputes, including aspects of jurisdiction, the seat of arbitration and the role of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Swiss Federal Tribunal. Overall the course focuses on the legal and practical aspects of contemporary sporting disputes that are of critical importance to the sports administrator, or the sports law practitioner.
This course will develop your understanding of:
- the political and legal foundations of modern sport and how participation in sport is regulated internationally and domestically;
- the ‘sporting contract’;
- ‘sporting disputes’ and the lex ludorem (the law of games);
- how sporting disputes are determined or resolved, whether it be through arbitration, before statutory tribunals, domestic tribunals or mediation; and
- the entire process from beginning to end as to how sporting disputes arise and are finally addressed.
The course is taught interactively, in-person and class discussions and debates are frequently embarked upon on topics ranging from ‘sport and politics’ to ‘doping’ or ‘match-fixing’ and more recently, ‘gender issues in sport’.
At the conclusion of the course, participants should have a comprehensive understanding of sporting disputes and how they are determined and should also have the tools to confidently address and respond to sporting disputes, whether it be in their role as a sports lawyer, sports administrator, or a government or regulatory official.
Delivery Format
The course will be taught over 2 weeks.
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Day One Monday 15/6/2026 10:00 - 12:00 |
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Day Two Tuesday 16/06/2026 15:00 - 17:00 |
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Day Three Wednesday 17/06/2026 15:00 - 17:00 |
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Day Four Thursday 18/06/2026 10:00 - 12:00 |
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Day Five Monday 22/06/2026 10:00 - 12:00 |
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Day Six Tuesday 23/06/2026 15:00 - 17:00 |
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Day Seven Wednesday 24/06/2026 15:00 - 17:00 |
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Day Eight Thursday 25/06/2026 10:00 - 12:00 |
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Participants
The programme is designed for legal practitioners, sports administrators, insurers, arbitrators, civil servants and university graduates in law, sports administration and business, who wish to develop a better understanding of modern-day sporting disputes arising out of professional and elite sporting competitions and environments.
To gain the most out of this course, an interest in sport and how participation in sport is regulated and administered is essential and a curiosity as to how the law responds to sporting disputes (between athlete and sports organisation, or between sports organisations) is desirable.
You will be awarded a Certificate of Participation upon successful completion of the programme.
Speakers
Paul Hayes KC FCIArb (Course Director) has successfully practised in the field of sports law and arbitration for over 30 years and has appeared in many of the world’s leading sports law cases as Counsel, as determined by the Court of Arbitration of Sport. He has also presided over important international sports arbitrations and inquiries and has been highlighted by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) from 2021 to 2025 as a ‘global thought leader’ in international sports law.