Sports Arbitration Handy Guide - 7 Cases On Challenges To Jurisdiction

In this article, Alejandro Coghill and Matt Phillip, look back at seven cases that challenged jurisdiction in sports arbitration and identify nine key takeaways.

For many years, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ("CAS") has been recognised as the preeminent forum for the resolution of sports disputes. However, the recent decision in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Semenya v Switzerland, is the latest example of athletes seeking to challenge that status. Semenya was successful before the ECtHR, but Switzerland may still appeal the decision. This article highlights some key cases that challenged jurisdiction in sports arbitration and identify nine key takeaways.

1. Mutu and Pechstein v Switzerland