LATEST RULING BY THE SWISS SPORTS TRIBUNAL
The Swiss Sports Tribunal (SST) has rejected, on 12 June 2026, an appeal by the President of a Swiss football club against a decision by Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI).
The official’s reprimand for discrimination against women’s football has been upheld, and he has also been ordered to pay a fine and cover the SST costs.
In August 2025, the Swiss Sports Ethics Reporting Office received a report concerning a possible ethical breach by the club President. He had allegedly made discriminatory and misogynistic statements in the club magazine.
Accordingly, the SSI opened an investigation, which determined that an ethical breach had occurred and concluded with appropriate measures. The football official appealed to the SST the decision, which included a warning and a fine of 500 Swiss francs, for violating Article 2.1.1 of the Swiss Sports Ethics Statute. He argued that the statements were merely an expression of his personal opinion and had caused no harm whatsoever to the group of people mentioned.
As part of the SST proceedings, both parties, the club President and the SSI made submissions in writing. After evaluating the parties‘ positions and the final ruling, the SST concluded that, whilst none of the statements made in the club magazine, taken individually, might be considered a serious violation of the Ethics Statute, taken together, they constituted a series of sexist opinions directed in a derogatory manner against women’s football.
It was determined, therefore, that the statements contradicted fundamental ethical principles of Swiss sport, namely the principle of equal treatment and the duty of officials to ensure and promote a respectful and non-discriminatory environment. Therefore, the finding of an ethical violation and the measures ordered by the SSI were deemed appropriate and proportionate under these circumstances.
Consequently, the SST rejected the football official’s appeal against the decision of the SSI, due to a violation of the Swiss Sports Ethics Statute regarding discrimination (Art. 2.1.1), and upheld the imposed measures, which, as mentioned, included a warning and a fine of 500 Swiss francs.
Furthermore, the club President was ordered to pay the SST legal costs of 1,000 Swiss francs.
We act in cases before the Swiss Sports Tribunal, and further information is available from either Dr Lucien Valloni or Kim Gamboni by emailing them at ‘valloni@valloni.ch and gamboni@valloni.ch respectively.