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The Principle of Fairness in the Lex Sportiva of CAS Awards and Beyond

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Lex Sportiva: What is Sports Law?

Part of the book series: ASSER International Sports Law Series ((ASSER))

Abstract

The issues discussed in this contribution might suggest that the principle of fairness is still too unsettled to be effective as a core principle of international sports law. However, on the basis of accepted attributes of fairness = impartiality, equity, good faith, coherence, and so on—the principle can be readily adapted to a broad range of sports and sports-related issues. Fairness should be fundamental in the future of sports and the growth of a creditable regime of international sports law. The challenge is to take the principle seriously and further develop it within a definitional and institutional framework that already exists.

Previously published in: 3–4 The International Sports Law Journal (ISLJ) (2010), pp. 3–9, paper presented during the Lex Sportiva Conference at Pelita Harapan Universitas (UPH), on 22 September 2010 in Jakarta, Indonesia, organized in collaboration with the Indonesia Lex Sportiva Instituta and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, the National Olympic Committee, the T.M.C. Asser Instituut and the Indonesian football league.

Thomas B. Stoel Professor of Law and Director of International Programs, Willamette University College of Law. The author is Honorary President of the International Association of Sports Law.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See generally Kolev 2008, at 57 (noting similarities and differences between the ancient tradition and authority of the lex mercatoria and the recent development of a lex sportiva, in their respective origins and developments); Haas 2007, at 271, 272; Silance 1998, 86, 87 (noting a difference in the reception of the term between Latin-based (Romance) languages and other languages and considering the term in the context of a transnational juridical order).

  2. 2.

    See, e.g., Latty 2007 (drawing upon Judge Philip Jessup’s concept of transnational law that blends private and public processes and rules).

  3. 3.

    See, e.g., Hellenic Olympic Comm. and Kaklamanakis v. Int’l Sailing Fed’n, CAS 2004/Athens ad hoc. Div./009 (Aug. 24, 2004).

  4. 4.

    Done June 10, 1958, 330 U.N.T.S. 3.

  5. 5.

    See Int’l Ass’n of Athletics Fed’n v. U.S.A. Track & Field and Jerome Young, CAS 2004/A/628 (June 28, 2004) (making it clear that although CAS awards do not form a stare decisis, CAS will try to come to the same conclusion on matters of law as previous panels).

  6. 6.

    2009Annual Survey: Recent Developments in Sports Law2010, 541. For a retrospective on CAS by a leading expert, see McLaren 2010; see also McLaren 2001.

  7. 7.

    This overview of CAS and the lex sportiva draws from more extensive discussion in Nafziger 2004, 40–43, 48–61. The definitive work on CAS is The Court of Arbitration for Sport 1984–2004 (Blackshaw et al. 2006).

  8. 8.

    557 N.E.2d 87 (1990).

  9. 9.

    On the history and legal analysis of the America’s Cup, see Nafziger 1992, 510.

  10. 10.

    N.Y. Times, Feb. 25, 2010, at D10 (reports on the victory of the high-tech BMW Oracle trimaran of the Golden Gate Yacht Club over Alinghi of the Societé Nautique de Genève).

  11. 11.

    557 N.E.2d at 92.

  12. 12.

    557 N.E.2d at 102 (Hancock, J., dissenting).

  13. 13.

    545 N.Y.S.2d 693, 710 (Kassal, J., dissenting).

  14. 14.

    See Sports Illustrated, Oct. 13, 2008, at 20; Macur 2008, at B13; Vecsey 2008, at B11; Gymnast Only 13, Xinhua Said in ’07 2008, at 27.

  15. 15.

    Macur 2010.

  16. 16.

    For an English translation of this legislation, which is subject to revision or replacement, see Nafziger and Wei 1998, 474.

  17. 17.

    Federal-Provincial-Territorial Sports Ministers, Declaration: Expectations for Fairness in Sport, August 10, 2001 (Canada).

  18. 18.

    Black’s Law Dictionary 2004, 633.

  19. 19.

    See Franck 1995, 7.

  20. 20.

    See Blackshaw 2009, at 134.

  21. 21.

    See, e.g., Gardiner et al. 2001, 580.

  22. 22.

    Treaty of Lisbon Amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty Establishing the European Community, Dec. 17, 2007, 500 O.J. (C306) (emphasis added).

  23. 23.

    Id. art. 165.

  24. 24.

    See Weatherill 2010 (mandating, for example, a “break-even requirement on financial fair play,” according to which a club’s relevant expenses must align with its “relevant income” within stipulated margins in order to accomplish several purposes such as to better ensure that clubs are in a position to settle their liabilities with players and that they generally benefit football on a basis of fairness to other football clubs). See also European Parliament, Directorate General for Internal Policies, Policy Dep’t B: Structural and Cohesion Policies, Lisbon Treaty and EU Sports Policy Study, Sept. 6, 2010, at 37 (observing that Article 165 may discourage nationality discrimination in amateur sport).

  25. 25.

    See Hill 2008; see also Hill 2009, at Sports 9; Hughes 2009, at 1; McIlvanney 2009, at 18; Smith 2009, at 10.

  26. 26.

    See Leicester 2009, at Sports; IOC to Watch for Irregular Betting at Olympics Via a New Swiss-Based Company, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/04/ap/sportline/main536.

  27. 27.

    These guidelines are established under Olympic Charter Rule 46 (2007) and its Bylaws.

  28. 28.

    See International Olympic Committee 2004 (658 kb).

  29. 29.

    Sports News, Dec. 10, 2009.

  30. 30.

    Macur 2009, at Sports.

  31. 31.

    Dittmore 2009.

  32. 32.

    See, e.g., Drape and Thomas 2010, at A1 (reporting on reallocation of revenue of major sports to a broad range of minor sports by college and university sports directors competing for greater reputation and status of their comprehensive sports programs within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)).

  33. 33.

    See http://www.tas-cas.org/arbitrators-genlist; http://www.tas-cas.org/icas-members (last visited Sept. 8, 2010).

  34. 34.

    See International Olympic Committee 2010.

  35. 35.

    See, e.g., Boxing Australia v. AIBA, CAS 08/A/1455 (April 16, 2008) (insisting that international sports federations must announce all final qualifications for competition prospectively at a reasonably early stage of the qualification process).

  36. 36.

    See, e.g., Goldstein 2007.

  37. 37.

    World Anti-Doping Agency 2010.

  38. 38.

    See, e.g., Halt 2009.

  39. 39.

    See Nafziger 2005.

  40. 40.

    World Anti-Doping Agency 2010, arts. 2.1 (strict liability basis), 3.1 (burden of proof).

  41. 41.

    CAS 94/129, 193.

  42. 42.

    U.S. Anti-Doping Agency v. Hardy, Am. Arb. Ass’n, AAA No. 77-190-00288-08 (May 2, 2009).

  43. 43.

    World Anti-Doping Agency v. Hardy, CAS 08/A/1870 (May 21, 2010).

  44. 44.

    Pistorius v. IAAF, CAS 2008/A/1480.

  45. 45.

    See Record-setting Swimsuits Fail to Win FINA’s Approval 2009, at 22.

  46. 46.

    For an account of the controversy after its conclusion, see Mackey 2009. For discussion of the issues and policy options, including therapeutic use exemptions, see Dreger 2009a, at Sports 8; see also Dreger 2009b, at 10. On gender-testing of athletes, see Boylan 2008, at 10.

  47. 47.

    Sagen v. Vancouver Organizing Committee, [2009] B.C.C.A. 522.

  48. 48.

    Sagen v. Vancouver Organizing Committee, [2009] B.C.J. 1393.

  49. 49.

    See United States Anti-Doping Agency v. Brunemann, Am. Arb. Ass’n/N. Am. CAS Panel, AAA No. 77-190-E-00447-08 JENF (Jan. 26, 2009) (noting that “this doctrine is well-established in lex sportiva through many cases arising in several different sports,” and citing numerous previous decisions applying lex mitior).

  50. 50.

    Brunemann, supra note 49 (comparing a swimmer’s negligent ingestion of a banned substance to the negligence of other athletes).

  51. 51.

    See, e.g., SNOC v. FILA, CAS, Ad Hoc Div. OG 08/007 (Aug. 23, 2008).

  52. 52.

    See, e.g., Michael v. Australian Canoeing, CAS 08/A/1549 (June 4, 2008).

  53. 53.

    See A., B., C., D., & E. v. IOC., CAS 2002/A/389, 390, 391, 392, & 393, and COC & Scott v. IOC, CAS 2002/A/372. On the reallocation of the medals initially claimed by Marion Jones, see Zinser 2009, at B17.

  54. 54.

    Yang Tae Young v. FIG, CAS 2004/A/704 (Oct. 21, 2004) (refusing to overrule a field-of-play decision for failure to raise a timely objection). See also Neth. Antilles Olympic Comm. v. IAAF, CAS 2008/A/1641 (Mar. 6, 2009) (also refusing to overturn field-of-play decision).

  55. 55.

    See Vecsey 2010, at 1; see also Maynard 2010, at B9; Schwarz 2010, at B9.

  56. 56.

    Major League Baseball, Rule 9.02(a), (c) (2010).

  57. 57.

    Maynard 2010, at B11.

  58. 58.

    Vecsey 2010.

  59. 59.

    Supra note 54.

  60. 60.

    Despite Uproar, FIFA Rejects Irish Call for Replay, Int’l Herald Trib. 2009, at 8; Berlin 2009, at 12; Hawkey 2009, at 11.

  61. 61.

    See Klein 2010, at B11.

  62. 62.

    See Referee System Faces Changes in 2014 2010, at 7.

  63. 63.

    Burns 2009, at B16. The quoted material in the paragraphs that immediately follow in the text is taken from this article.

  64. 64.

    This annual Grand Prix is one of five “flyaways” (races outside Europe) that complete the Formula One season and is perhaps the most demanding of the flyaways. See Spurgeon 2010, at Sports 9; Espinoza 2010, at 15.

  65. 65.

    For further forecasting and commentary, see Nafziger 2006.

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  1.  , Salem, OR, USA

    James A. R. Nafziger

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  1. , ASSER International Sports Law Centre, T.M.C. Asser Institute, The Hague, 2500 GL, Netherlands

    Robert C.R. Siekmann

  2. , ASSER International Sports Law Centre, T.M.C. Asser Institute, The Hague, 2500 GL, Netherlands

    Janwillem Soek

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Nafziger, J.A.R. (2012). The Principle of Fairness in the Lex Sportiva of CAS Awards and Beyond. In: Siekmann, R., Soek, J. (eds) Lex Sportiva: What is Sports Law?. ASSER International Sports Law Series. T.M.C. Asser Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-829-3_12

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