We are very pleased to welcome Gurur Gaye Günal to our Law Firm. Gurur is an experienced Turkish Attorney with 26 years of professional practice in Sports Law, Arbitration, Mediation, Intellectual Property, Contract Law, and a particular specialism in International Space Law. A Graduate of...
Read MoreFor decades, the collective sale of sports broadcasting rights has been promoted as a fair and efficient model, capable of supporting both elite and grassroots levels of European sport. Leagues often adopt a centralized marketing model, selling broadcasting rights on behalf of their member clubs...
Read MoreIn Germany, sports image rights are protected under the right to one’s own image, as a component of personality rights, under Section 22 of the German Art Copyright Act (UrhG); the general right of privacy under Articles 1 and 2 of the German Constitution (Grundgesetz);...
Read MoreIn the context of sports justice, the proper application of the principle of proportionality constitutes an indispensable cornerstone in the imposition of disciplinary sanctions. The recent decision rendered by the Sole Arbitrator in the appeal proceedings brought before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)...
Read MoreOn 19 December 2024, the European Commission opened an in-depth Phase II investigation into the Liberty Media proposed acquisition of Dorna Sports SL, the exclusive commercial rights holder for the MotoGP™ World Championship. The transaction was formally notified on 14 November 2024 under Article 4...
Read MoreIn April 2025, Club León and Club de Fútbol Pachuca filed appeals before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), contesting their exclusion from the FIFA Club World Cup for violating Article 10.1 of the tournament regulations on multiple club ownership (MCO). In line with...
Read MoreIn the world of professional sports, including in Germany, the limitation of coaching contracts is common practice. But is it also permissible under labor law? And if not, what are the legal consequences? The starting point in German labour law is section 14 of the...
Read MoreWith almost 640 million fans throughout the world, Esports is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and the global market for Esports is expected to grow in value to US$3.25 billion (around Sw. Frs. 2.87 billion) in 2025 and continue at a...
Read MoreState aid control plays a crucial role in ensuring that public resources are used fairly and efficiently within the European Union (EU). Whilst the EU role in sport is limited to supporting national policies (Article 165 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)), this does not prevent the...
Read MoreFollowing the recent UK Supreme Court Decision that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, reported on in an earlier Post on this website, UPG (the Ultimate Pool Group), the professional governing body for the sport of 8-ball pool, has amended...
Read MoreThe issue of whether transgender women can participate in women’s sport is a continuing and controversial one and has not been resolved, to date, in all sports at either the elite or the grassroots’ levels. Perhaps, the ruling, on 16 April 2025, by the UK...
Read MoreMulti-club ownership (MCO) is becoming an increasingly prominent feature of the global football landscape, and France is no exception. Although Article L.122-7 of the French Sports Code (the Code) prohibits domestic club control by a single entity within the same sporting discipline, no such restriction...
Read MoreAs noted elsewhere on this website, association football is not only the world’s favourite sport, but also the most lucrative one, as reflected in the eye-watering fees being paid for transfers of players nationally and internationally. In the 2025 winter football transfer window, almost £1.9...
Read Moreby Sara Botti With the increasing prevalence of flexible working models and the expansion of cross-border remote work, the employment landscape in Switzerland has undergone profound changes. An increasing number of workers now perform their professional activities on Swiss territory while remaining formally employed by...
Read MoreAlthough association football is the world’s most lucrative sport, there is a need to regulate the financial affairs of football clubs at the international and national levels to provide stability. Germany is no exception where there are a number of financial regulations that apply to...
Read MoreOf the many appeals against awards of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) submitted last year to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court (TFS), one appeal, in particular, is worthy of mention. Because it concerned the treatment of a minor athlete, namely, the Russian figure...
Read MoreFew aspects of life combine physical performance, emotional intensity, and social meaning as powerfully as sport. It inspires, unites, and sometimes divides, yet it always reflects something essential about who we are. It is a deeply human and cultural phenomenon: an integral part of our...
Read MoreOne of the measures towards achieving clean sport is the so-called ‘whereabouts rule’, which was introduced by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) on 1 January 2009, and which continues to prove controversial amongst sportspersons. The latest CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) Appeal case (CAS 2024/A/10679),...
Read MoreThe recent Opinion (Opinion) of Advocate General Ćapeta in Case C-600/23, RFC Seraing v FIFA, reopens complex questions about the interface between international sports arbitration and European legal principles, particularly the right to effective judicial protection under Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights...
Read MoreThe European governing body of association football, UEFA, introduced their Financial Fair Play (FFP) Regulations in 2009 and they came into effect in the 2011-2012 season, with the aim that football clubs would not spend more than they earn, thereby endangering their long-term survival. At...
Read MoreThe recent award by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the dispute between AC Bellinzona 1904 SA and the Swiss Football League (SFL) (2024/A/10916) offers an interesting opportunity to reflect on the rigid application of federal rules regarding “locally trained” football players and...
Read MoreSports image rights are very valuable and widely defined. See the judicial definition in the English case of Proactive Sports Management v Rooney of 2011. They include a person’s name, including nick name, initials, image and likeness and other personal and distinctive characteristics, including lifestyle....
Read MoreIt has been announced on 21 March 2025 that the Swiss Sports Tribunal (TSS) has suspended for one year a Swiss floorball player for possession of the prohibited substance RAD140 (SARM). The offence came to light during a postal inspection, in which a package containing...
Read MoreIn this Post, we focus on some key judicial developments and their application in France. Sport is not exempt from free market rules in the European Union (EU). Whilst Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) recognises the...
Read MoreThe long-running case brought by the German Olympic speed skater, Claudia Pechstein, against the International Skating Union (ISU) in relation to an anti-doping violation dispute, which occurred in the special medical situation of Pechstein, who claimed to have an inherited blood disease causing the alleged...
Read MoreThroughout the world, there is a continuing need to bridge the gender gap between men and women in the sporting arena and the same is true in the United Kingdom. We report the findings to date of the UK Women in Sport Charity...
Read More© IOC/Greg Martin The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has broken with tradition and elected a woman as its new President. She is Kirtsy Coventry, the Zimbabwe Sports Minister, and, at 41 years old, the youngest ever to hold this prestigious position in the 130-year history...
Read MoreWe are pleased to welcome the German lawyer Oliver Fischer to our Law Firm. Oliver Fischer is a highly respected and well-known sports law lawyer in Germany. His clients are high level sportspersons as well as coaches, clubs, agencies, and sponsors, especially in football,...
Read MoreThe acquisition of real estate in Switzerland by an Italian citizen, or by foreign nationals in general, is not entirely unrestricted but is subject to specific limitations imposed by Swiss legislation, namely the so-called Koller Law. Since 1961, Switzerland has enacted laws governing the acquisition...
Read MoreWith just one year to go to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games, which take place in Italy from 6-22 February 2026, Andrew Parsons, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, has sounded a warning note about the future of the Winter Paralympic Games and, indeed,...
Read MoreThe French Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) commenced a legal action before the Tribunal for Economic Activities (TEA) of Paris against DAZN, the global sports subscription video streaming service, for withholding half of a US$72.7 million (around Sw. Frs. 63.8 million) instalment, due in January...
Read More© IOC/Greg Martin A new President, to succeed Dr Thomas Bach, will be elected at a meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which will be held in Athens, Greece, from 18-21 March 2025. The seven contenders are: David Lappartient (France); Morinari Watanabe (Japan); Prince...
Read MoreSepp Blatter, the former President of FIFA and Michel Platini, the former President of UEFA and former Vice President of FIFA, are back in a Special Federal Criminal Appeal Court in Mutenz, in the Canton of Basel, Switzerland, on 3 March 2025, facing the...
Read MoreWomen’s sport is continuing to grow in popularity and gain fans and attract major sponsors all over the world. This is particularly true of women’s football, where it is reported that many men prefer to watch and follow the women’s game, which is opening up...
Read MoreFIFA has published the CAS & Football Annual Report 2024, the third edition of this comprehensive document detailing the activities of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in football-related matters worldwide and, specifically, regarding the appeals submitted against FIFA decisions during that time....
Read MoreThe Organising Committee of the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games has this week unveiled the event’s official motto: ‘IT’s Your Vibe‘, described as a dynamic concept that places people at the centre of the Games. According to the Organising Committee: “‘IT’s Your Vibe’...
Read MoreCertainly, the number of women who participate in sport in Italy is increasing, but a significant gender gap between sports women and men remains, especially in the leadership of Italian National Sports Federations, which is considerably lower than the European average. For example, it...
Read MoreAssociation football is the most popular sport in the world, but not so in Switzerland where the beautiful game is eclipsed by ice hockey, as far as attendance and television coverage are concerned. Globally, ice hockey has more than 1.6 million players in 79...
Read MoreAlthough, generally speaking, association football is the world’s most lucrative sport, it is not without its financial challenges and pressures. The finances of professional football clubs in France are regulated by the Direction Nationale de Contrôle de Gestion (National Directorate of Management Control) (DNCG). The...
Read MoreIntellectual Property, especially trademarks, play an important role in protecting the names and logos of major international sporting events, such as the UEFA European Football Championships (the Euros), the Wimbledon Championships, the Tour de France and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In particular, trademark rights...
Read MoreThe World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), on 15 February 2025, has withdrawn its Appeal to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), which was filed in September 2024, and entered into a Case Resolution Agreement with the Italian number 1 men’s single tennis player, Jannik Sinner, whereby...
Read MoreAlthough association football is the world’s most popular and lucrative sport, the beautiful game, at all levels, faces financial pressures and challenges in many parts of the world in the present economic times. This is also true of Italian football and clubs, even top-tier ones,...
Read MoreMatch fixing in sport, or the manipulation of the results of sports competitions and events, is an ongoing and widespread problem despite continuing attempts, at the national and international levels, to eradicate it. Unfortunately, France is not immune from match fixing in its various forms,...
Read MoreAs noted in another Post on the website, women’s professional football in Europe and elsewhere is growing in popularity and this also applies to Italy. Italy was one of the first countries to host professional women’s football after European bans on women playing football came...
Read MoreWomen’s professional football in Europe, and elsewhere in the world, continues to grow in popularity and attract more fans, and this is also true in France. Women’s football in France is run by the French Football Federation (FFF) and played at the club and national...
Read MoreIn general, employment law in Italy is complex and there are special provisions, under Law No. 91 of 1981, which apply to sports employment contracts. As regards form, they must be in writing, otherwise they are null and void. As regards their provisions, sports employment...
Read MoreSports employment contracts are of increasing importance because of the sums involved, not least in the case of those of professional football players, which often raise complex legal and financial issues. For the majority of the major European Football Leagues, the 2025 Winter Football Transfer...
Read MoreConciliation is a formal, confidential, efficient and neutral proceeding for resolving disputes in Switzerland outside the ordinary courts system, under Article 213 of the Swiss Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO). Generally speaking, it is the first step in litigation in Switzerland. Conciliation is mandatory for...
Read MoreInternational Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which will be observed on 21 March 2025, serves as a timely reminder of the broader fight against all forms of discrimination, including gender discrimination in sport. According to paragraph 4 of the Fundamental Principles of Olympism...
Read MoreIt has been announced that the Ice Lions of Kenya has become the fifth African team to be admitted to membership of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which has 84 members and is based in Zurich. Kenya has now joined teams from Algeria, Morocco,...
Read MoreWe are very pleased to announce that, with effect from 1 February 2025 Valloni, Attorneys at Law, Zurich, Switzerland, with its strong international legal practice and team of multilingual professionals, has expanded its boundaries and came to Milan! We are now able to offer Swiss...
Read MoreAs noted in another Post on the website, women’s professional football in Europe and elsewhere is growing in popularity and this also applies to Italy. Italy was one of the first countries to host professional women’s football after European bans on women playing football came...
Read MoreIn the last several years, women’s professional football has continued to grow in popularity and claim fans in many parts of the world, not least in Europe, including Switzerland. It is a far cry from earlier times when women were not allowed to compete in...
Read MoreSports Bodies, established as Associations in Switzerland, enjoy a unique regulatory framework, with a high degree of autonomy in relation to how they govern themselves and their sports. In fact, Swiss Association Law is based on the general principle of autonomy. This means that Sports...
Read MoreFurther to our earlier Post on the website, it has been announced on 10 January 2025 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that the Appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency against the doping case acquittal of the Italian tennis player and currently ranked...
Read MoreAs noted in a previous NEWS item on the website, safeguarding in sport is of increasing importance with many instances of exposure of sportspersons to a variety of unsafe situations and conditions in their sports that have come to light in recent times. Safeguarding may...
Read MoreBy Dr Lucien Valloni, Managing Partner, Valloni Attorneys at Law, Zurich, Switzerland Of the several sports cases dealt with by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court (TFS), on appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), during last year, perhaps the most important one concerned...
Read MoreMatch fixing, also known as the manipulation of sports competitions, is contrary to the spirit and nature of sport, which relies on fair competition in all respects. Manipulation of sports competitions has been defined in article 3.1 of the Council of Europe Convention on the...
Read MoreIn a Decision rendered on 29 June 2023, the French Council of State (Le Conseil d’État) was presented with a case brought by two associations seeking to allow the hijab in the French Football Federation (FFF), alongside the League of Human Rights, which challenged the...
Read MoreItaly is one of those countries in which image rights are legally recognised and protected as such. The image rights of sportspersons are a valuable commodity and include, amongst others: a sportsperson’s name, nick name or initials; their squad number; their image or photograph; their...
Read MoreWith sports disputes on the increase and the need to settle them quickly, especially where sporting deadlines are in play, various forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) are proving attractive to the international sporting community. One such form of ADR, which is particularly appropriate, is...
Read MoreWe are pleased to welcome Felix Mathis as a member of our team. Felix is a very experienced and leading corporate and commercial lawyer and litigator and has been recognised as such by the IFLR 1000 World’s Leading Lawyers Guide. He joins us from...
Read MoreThe case C/2024/5401, referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) by the Regional Administrative Court for Lazio, raises significant legal questions about the relationship between national sports law and EU law. Specifically, it addresses the compatibility of the Italian sports’ legal...
Read MoreAlthough there are some signs of progress being made, generally speaking, gender equality in sport in Italy may be characterised as “a work in progress”. The number of women participating in sport is increasing, with around 48% of sportspersons being women. In some sports, however,...
Read MoreSports events in France are protected by several legal and practical measures. These include: A regularly updated book that contains all the French legislation relating to the organisation of sports events in France. The Code is divided into several parts: a legislative section (Articles L100-1...
Read MoreAs we have remarked elsewhere, sport and broadcasting are regarded as “a marriage made in heaven”. And this is particularly true of football coverage in France, with women’s football competitions now increasing in popularity in France and elsewhere. In June 1997, the European Parliament and...
Read MoreIn Italy, sportspersons can be held liable for injuries that they cause to others on the field of play under civil and criminal law. As regards civil liability, sportspersons may face claims from other sportspersons for damages, that is, financial compensation, caused by malicious, fraudulent...
Read MoreWomen’s sport continues to grow in popularity as well as in financial terms. Globally, double-digit growth is forecast for women’s sports revenues in the next 3-5 years, despite economic and geopolitical challenges facing the sports industry as a whole. As regards sports sponsorship, which is...
Read MoreDoping continues to be the scourge of many sports, including professional tennis, and the need to eradicate it in all its forms continues apace. Three doping cases in tennis have recently been reported, with seemingly inconsistent approaches and outcomes. These have been compared and criticised...
Read MoreGenerally speaking, sports-related disputes particularly lend themselves for settlement outside the ordinary courts system, that is, by some form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), the most common being arbitration. This is also the case in Switzerland, where we have the Court of Arbitration for Sport,...
Read MoreThe Italian plan to establish an independent Commission to oversee the financial budgets of football clubs has met with strong opposition, both domestically and internationally, and has led to tensions between the Government and FIFA and UEFA, the World and European Governing Bodies of football....
Read MoreSport is big business and there is much at stake on and off the field of play! In view of this, as sport continues to grow exponentially, so also, not surprisingly, do sports-related disputes. The question, therefore, arises: how best to settle them? In the...
Read MoreThe fight against doping in sport seems to be never ending and sports governing bodies – at the national and international levels – are committed to providing clean sport, whereby sportspersons can compete fairly and healthily. In Switzerland, anti-doping matters are regulated by the Swiss...
Read MoreWith so much at stake on the field of play and, with the rise of sports marketing as a multi-billion US dollar global industry, sports disputes are also increasing off the field of play. And France is no exception, with more and more sportspersons...
Read MoreThe image rights of sportspersons are a very valuable marketing and promotional tool, not least for football players and their clubs. As pointed out in a previous NEWS item, sports image rights are not universally recognised legally. However, in France, such rights are legally recognised...
Read MoreOne of the most popular and lucrative forms of sports marketing is sports sponsorship, which, globally, is worth more than US$100 billion (around Sw. Frs. 89.37 billion), and that amount is expected to almost double by 2030! Currently, the highest paid sportsperson in the world...
Read MoreFrom time to time, it may become necessary to legally enforce CAS Arbitral Awards, once final and binding, where a party concerned fails to comply with those Awards, especially ones involving the payment of substantial sums of money, by way of compensation or fines. Fortunately,...
Read MoreThe DRC is particularly involved in cases arising under the Regulation on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), especially on disputes relating to training compensation and solidarity contributions in football transfer cases. Under art.1 par.1 of Annexe 4 of the RSTP, training compensation must...
Read MoreIt is a well-known fact that the careers of elite sportspersons are relatively short compared with those of other professionals. For example, football players, on average, retire between the ages of 31 and 35, and reach their peak performances between the ages of 25 and...
Read MoreSport is all about fair competition, the so-called ‘level playing field’ and the unpredictability of the outcomes of sports events – or, at least, it should be! Unfortunately, there are many examples of practices in sport where this is not the case, and which negate...
Read MoreReports of injuries sustained by sportspersons on the field of play are almost an every-day occurrence, especially in these times when competition is so fierce and so much is at stake, not only in sporting terms but also in financial terms. Take the UEFA Champions...
Read MoreThe need for safeguarding, that is providing a safe environment in which sportspersons, especially young people and vulnerable adults, including women, can practise their sports, has never been greater than at the present time. Many sports have introduced measures to ensure such safeguarding, including training...
Read MoreTechnology is an integral part of our daily lives, and, to some degree or another, we have become dependent upon it, and sport is not beyond its outreach. In fact, many sports are now embracing technology, in one form or another, to replace or supplement...
Read MoreSadly, more and more cases of abuse of young persons and vulnerable adults participating in a range of sports are being reported. This phenomenon has become of increasing importance, particularly with the rise in women’s participation in sport, not least in football. Many international and...
Read MoreThe Olympic Charter The Olympic Charter, in Principle 4 of the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, makes it quite clear that the practice of sport is a human right, and provides that: “Every individual should have the right to practice sport without discrimination and in the...
Read MoreThe 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11–22 November 2024. The aim of COP29 is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade by 2030, under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change of 12 December 2015, and...
Read MoreThe Internet is an integral part of modern life and, not least, commerce, and the registration of Internet addresses, ‘domain names’, is a common phenomenon in a wide range of activities, including sport. Many sports organisations and well-known sportspersons have registered domain names and the...
Read MoreOne of the sports law developments in Switzerland and internationally to watch out for in 2025 is the outcome of the reference, by the Mons Court of Appeal, Belgium, to the European Union Court of Justice (CJEU) for a Preliminary Ruling on whether...
Read MoreDr. iur. Lucien W. Valloni and Thilo Pachmann provide a comprehensive overview of dynamic sports law in their work “Sports Law in a nutshell”. The second edition examines current legislation and case law, especially in the context of Switzerland’s central role for international sports federations....
Read MoreSome Key Issues Apart from death, one of the certainties of life is tax and sport is no exception! With so much money, especially prize money, available in elite sports, especially football, taxation is an important dimension and consideration in the practice of sport...
Read MoreSport and broadcasting have been well described as “a marriage made in heaven”, and this is particularly true of the broadcasting of football, the world’s most popular sport. Eye-watering sums are paid for sports broadcasting rights. For example, the English Premier League has sold for...
Read MoreFootball is the world’s favourite sport and, as such, the need for regulation for the benefit of the beautiful game and its players and fans is self-evident. In fact, in the United Kingdom, there are legislative proposals for the establishment of an independent Football Regulator...
Read MoreTransfers of professional football players, whether at the national or the international levels, make sporting news headlines whenever they take place, not least because of the eye-watering sums often involved. Last summer’s football transfer window was no exception, and the transfer, at the last minute,...
Read MoreImage rights are not legally recognised as such in all countries around the world, for example, in the United Kingdom, where they are only recognised for tax purposes. In the United States, image rights, known, as rights of publicity, are not recognised in all the...
Read MoreThis case is a legal battle between the former Arsenal and Chelsea football player, Lassana Diarra, and FIFA, the World Governing Body of Association Football, and its final outcome could change the landscape of association football. The Background In 2013, Diarra signed a 4-year contract...
Read MoreE-Sports, or electronic sports, may be defined as competitive video gaming, played, individually or in teams, on special consoles and personal computers. This form of video gaming involves humans competing against humans, usually with spectators, often millions of fans watching online and many also in...
Read MoreInterview with SAFP President Dr. Lucien Valloni concerning workload of players and health https://www.teleticino.ch/tgsport/ticinonews-sport-091024-6924
Read MoreWADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has confirmed that, on 26 September 2024, it has filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of the Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner, who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis...
Read MoreIt is well known that technology plays an important role in Formula 1 motor racing and AT&T announced, on 16 October 2024, an extension of its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing starting in 2025. In Formula 1, milliseconds count and can make the difference...
Read MoreA Swiss amateur footballer has been suspended by the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Sport for four years for the possession and attempted use of the prohibited substance RAD140 (SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) and also fined. In February 2023, a package containing the substance and...
Read MoreSports betting in Italy is popular and growing, especially in its online version. Some facts and figures: During this year, the online gambling industry in Italy is expected to bring in a revenue of €2.89 billion. This reflects a robust growth trend in the sector. ...
Read MoreAn unprecedented legal complaint has been filed at the European Commission (EC) against the World Governing Body of Association Football, FIFA, alleging abuse of its dominant position regarding the international football calendar. The complaint has been made by the top 39 European Leagues, including the...
Read MoreSports betting is popular and big business around the world and worth some US$45 billion. This trend is likely to continue, and the value of sports betting is expected to increase by over 7% in the next five years! In Switzerland, sports betting is licensed...
Read MoreFrance international and Juventus midfielder has successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and had the four-year doping ban, imposed on him after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone in his system, reduced to 18 months from 11 September 2023. This...
Read MoreThe FIFA Council met at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on Thursday, 3 October 2024, and adopted key decisions on a variety of topics, including FIFA Member Associations and upcoming men’s and women’s competitions. In relation to the proposal submitted by the Palestine Football...
Read MoreIt has been announced that the two-time US Olympic gymnast, Jordan Chiles, has filed an appeal in the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, the TFS – Tribunal Federal Suisse, to overturn an Award made by the Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport...
Read MoreWith so much money circulating sport and the desire to win, the need for integrity in sport, at the elite and grass roots’ levels, has never been greater than at the present time. The foundation of sport is fairness in all respects, especially on the...
Read MoreSport is big business: worth more than 3 per cent of world trade. So, there is much to play for, in financial as well as sporting terms. Not surprisingly sports disputes are on the increase. However, the sporting world prefers not to ‘wash its dirty...
Read MoreNew article of Lucien Valloni and Sara Botti in the September edition of Sports Law & Taxation on Women’s soccer: charting the economic landscape. Insights from Switzerland and Italy.
Read MoreOur former Legal Counsel and valued colleague, Ennio Bovolenta, has been offered and has accepted a position in the Legal Department of UEFA, the Governing Body of European Football. His move takes effect from 1 September 2024. We were sorry to see him leave the...
Read MoreA new Swiss Sports Tribunal (SST) has been established on 1 July 2024 by Swiss Olympic, the National Olympic Committee of Switzerland. The SST, based in Berne, has taken over the functions of the former Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Sport and will be responsible for...
Read MoreHappy to share our new article on the Cristiano Ronaldo case concerning Italian taxation of image rights of our Partner Dr. Lucien W. Valloni and our Of Counsel Avv. Sara Botti.
Read MoreHappy to share that our partner Noemi Delli Colli, together with Prof. Rashid Bahar, commented on article 4, 5 and 20 of the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA) in the newly published Basler Kommentar.
Read MoreSAFP President Lucien Valloni and Player Relation Manager Orlando Urbano visited Christian Eriksen today at his training session in Chiasso. SAFP personally offered him all support from the players union in his way back to professional football. SAFP President Lucien Valloni also congratulated Eriksen for...
Read MoreWe are proud to be able to announce that our Partner Dr. Lucien W. Valloni has been listet by WWL – Thought Leaders – Switzerland – Sports & Entertainment 2021. https://whoswholegal.com/lucien-w-valloni
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Ennio Bovolenta is an Italian lawyer based in Switzerland, specializing in international sports law and with years of experience in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
He is experienced in contractual disputes between football players, clubs and coaches, as well as in sports related commercial contracts and proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
As former FIFA’s Head of Integrity, he is also expert in implementing programs to promote and protect the integrity of sport, as well as in conducting investigations into corruption and match-fixing incidents.
Ennio currently serves as Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), remaining dedicated to upholding integrity in sports.
Welcome to the team Ennio!
We are pleased to announce that Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw LLM LLD joins as International Sports Law Consultant to the Firm as from 1 October 2024.
He is an international sports lawyer, having published many books and articles, including ones on Sports Marketing, Sports Image Rights, and Sports Disputes Resolution.
A Member of the Court of Arbitration Sport, Lausanne, Switzerland, and the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Arbitration and Mediation Center, Geneva, Switzerland, he is also an experienced International Sports Arbitrator and Mediator.
He has a background in company and commercial law, having been In-house Counsel of The Coca-Cola Company and RJR Nabisco.
He holds Visiting Professorships at several Universities and is much in demand leading and speaking at International Sports Law Seminars throughout the world.
He is also Consulting Editor of ‘Sports Law and Taxation’ (www.sportslawandtaxation.com).
Founder and Managing Partner, Dr Lucien Valloni, stated:
“Ian Blackshaw brings with him acknowledged expertise and extensive professional experience as an international sports lawyer and academic, which will add value to my Firm and its clients.”
Eric Haymann is an expert in all aspects of commercial law, both contentious and non-contentious. He also represents and advises private clients on the structuring of assets and estate planning.
Alongside his private client work, he advises domestic and international clients in a broad range of industries, including real estate, pharmaceuticals, fashion, biotech and financial services. He advises on domestic and international M&A transactions and also acts as counsel in arbitration cases. Eric Haymann has strong connections to the Israeli market, as well as Latin America, in particular Brazil. Eric Haymann is further representing clients in international legal assistance matters.
Peter J. Merz has years of experience in a leading business law firm and advises clients in a broad range of industries. He offers expertise in contract, commercial and corporate law, both contentious and non-contentious.
Apart from litigation he focusses on the specific private and commercial needs of his clients.
Welcome to the team Peter!
We are pleased to announce that Sara Botti has joined VALLONI Attorneys at Law as Of Counsel.
Sara is an Italian qualified lawyer based in Switzerland. Sara’s successful practice focuses on advising clients in cross-border matters involving Swiss and Italian proceedings.
With the arrival of Sara Botti, VALLONI Attorneys at Law further strengthens its international litigation practice and broadens its offering for its clients.
We are excited to have Sara on board. Welcome Sara!
Lucien W. Valloni – Live interview on RT International concerning the Biden / Putin summit in Geneva 2021
Lucien W. Valloni recomended in Chambers Europe 2021 Guide
Lucien W. Valloni – Interviewt in der SRF Rundschau Reportage zum Fussball-Hilfspaket des Bundes | Zurich, 27. May 27, 2020
Lucien W. Valloni – Speaker at Council for National and International Commercial Arbitration | Webinar, May 1, 2020
Lucien W. Valloni – Referent at Third Party Funding in Arbitration Global Online Forum | Webinar, April 24, 2020
Lucien W. Valloni – Moderator at Swiss Chinese Law Association | Webinar, February 28, 2020
Important Victory for Footballers in Turkey before the European Court of Human Rights
Lucien W. Valloni – Interview on RT International concerning doping scandle in Russian sport
Lucien W. Valloni – Interview on Radio RTS concerning Christian Constantins threat to lower salaries
Lucien W. Valloni – Interview on Channel One Russia concerning ther Rodchenkovs act passed by the US senat
Lucien W. Valloni on 10vor10 / SRF at 25’15
Lucien W. Valloni in The Best Lawyers in Switzerland 2019
Acquittal for goalkeeper won in the second instance!
Lucien W. Valloni reccommended in Chambers Europe 2019 Guide
Lucien W. Valloni – Interview on RT International concerning about the Russian biathlete Alexander Loginov
CAS Decision overturned by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court