Sports

LALIVE’s dynamic sports law practice has a long tradition in the field, owing to the interest and engagement of the firm’s founders in this area.

LALIVE provides a broad range of dispute resolution and advisory services to national and international sports federations, clubs, leagues, athletes, coaches, sponsors, media companies, broadcasters, TV rights holders, marketing agencies, agents and intermediaries on a worldwide basis.

We routinely work across borders and are well-versed in multi-jurisdictional matters calling upon our network of specialised lawyers for support in other jurisdictions.

Our experience is widespread. We can add value in the following areas:

• Sport disputes: We represent sports governing bodies as well as clubs, leagues and athletes in disciplinary, arbitration and litigation proceedings related to, among others: breaches of statutes, transfer-related matters (such as solidarity contribution or training compensation), match-fixing, doping, third party ownership, financial fair-play and admission to competitions. In addition, we also provide representation before Swiss courts including attachment of assets and challenge or enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards.
• Governance Regulation and Investigations: We advise and support sports governing bodies, clubs as well as leagues in interpreting and drafting regulations and rules (both procedural and substantive) aimed at improving their internal governance and their compliance with international standards and requirements. We also assist sports governing bodies, clubs as well as leagues in conducting internal investigations as well as investigations on all other issues that affect the integrity of the sport.
• Advisory services: We advise and assist sports governing bodies, clubs, leagues, athletes, coaches, sponsors, media companies, broadcasters, TV rights holders, marketing agencies, agents and intermediaries in negotiating and drafting contracts relating to the commercial exploitation of their respective rights and in setting up tailor-made corporate structures. In the football domain, the firm also provides advice in the context of third party ownership, financial fair play and admission to competitions.
• Copyright issues: We advise and assist sports governing bodies, clubs, leagues, athletes, coaches, sponsors, media companies, broadcasters, TV rights holders, marketing agencies, and athletes in protecting and enforcing their copyrights, trademark rights, image and media rights.