World Sports Law Report

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Volume: 10 Issue: 4
(April 2012)

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About World Sports Law Report

The monthly law journal providing guidance on all aspects of sports law, including licensing and sports data, anti-doping and doping sanctions, TV and broadcasting rights, sport technology, players agents, disciplinary measures, sports integrity, sports betting, player contracts, intellectual property, transfer regulations, sports sponsorship and marketing, and governance, as well as coverage of key legal cases, sporting regulations and governing bodies including the IOC, UEFA and FIFA and sporting events such as London 2012. / read more

Editor's Insight

An Administrative Difficulty

Our coverage of the difficulties faced by Kosovar athletes in competing at the London 2012 Olympics highlights the difficulties that can be created through the administration of sport. It is understandable that the IOC has rules on what criteria must be fulfilled by countries before they can be represented at the Olympics. If they did not, the Olympics would be vulnerable to greater use as a political tool. One of the IOC’s stated aims in the Olympic Charter is ‘to oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes’ (Rule 2.10 Olympic Charter). This makes the IOC’s position in relation to our second news article even harder to understand, but I digress…

As explained in the article, Kosovar athletes are stuck between a rock and a hard place. As Rule 6.1 of the Olympic Charter explains: ‘The Olympic Games are competitions between athletes in individual or team events and not between countries’. However, it also explains: ‘They bring together the athletes selected by their respective NOCs, whose entries have been accepted by the IOC. They compete under the technical direction of the IFs concerned.’ Thus, even if an athlete qualifies in their respective sport, they cannot compete at the Olympics unless their National Olympic Committee is recognised by the IOC.

It seems unlikely that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would not let Kosovars compete under the Olympic flag if they have qualified for the Olympics through their international federation, especially now that the European Parliament has become involved. It is a shame that athletes who define themselves as Kosovar will not be able to compete as such during London 2012, but there is no easy solution to this problem.

The April edition of World Sports Law Report also considers the implications in Europe and the USA of an Australian case which legitimises personal viewing of delayed screening of sporting events. It also considers the implications of the Alberto Contador case, the sustainability of the FA Premier League’s broadcasting model post Murphy, and other topical issues. For a prequel, click on the links on the left. For detailed analysis of the key issues in sport, register for a free trial on the right.

Andy Brown