Sports Law

Our team provides legal assistance to stakeholders in the world of sport, whether athletes, clubs, sports agents, federations, or other actors in the sports sector – professional and/or amateur – at national and international level. 

We assist sports clubs and professional athletes by offering our consultancy in matters of contracts, sports litigation, disciplinary and anti-doping. Protection of image rights and intellectual property of the brand or athlete. Our Sports Law attorneys provide support to eSports players in legal matters concerning the world of digital sports.  

In collaboration with the other departments of the firm, maintaining our multidisciplinary approach, we offer assistance to sports clubs in M&A operations and in the administrative management of large-scale sporting events.  

Sports contract consultancy​​

​​​​​Our attorneys offer complete and personalized assistance in all phases of the contract life of a professional or amateur athlete. From negotiation and drafting of ​employment contracts​ for players – footballers, basketball players, but also racing drivers, etc. – to disciplinary and resolution procedures, to ​support for the constitution of sports clubs​.​​​​​​ 

  • Negotiation and drafting of sports employment contracts  
  • Procedures related to sports employment contracts (disciplinary disputes, consensual resolutions, etc.) 
  • Transfer contracts for professional footballers 
  • Tax consultancy on transfers of athletes from abroad to Italy 
  • Intermediation contracts between sports agents and clubs/athletes 
  • Private law agreements between athletes and amateur sports associations/clubs 
  • Contracts related to the sports sector (sponsorship contracts, transfer of image rights, etc.) 
  • Constitution and drafting of statutes of sports associations and amateur sports clubs 
  • Continuous assistance to professional and amateur companies on legal and fiscal aspects relating to specific needs that may arise during the sports season  

Sports litigation​, disciplinary and​​ ​anti-doping

​​Our professionals operate in sports litigation concerning contractual disputes, disciplinary disputes, doping, violations of sporting rules and other conflicts that may arise in the competitive context of sport. ​In particular:​​ 

  • Contractual disputes
      • ​​​resolution of disputes concerning non-performance, early termination and compensation​​ 
  • Disciplinary disputes
      • ​​​defense in disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office​​ 
      • ​​​appeals against sanctions by the Giudice Sportivo (judicial sporting body)​​ 
      • ​​​protection of reputation and professional image​​ 
  • ​​​Doping
      • ​​​defense in case of positive anti-doping tests​​ 
      • support for the management of procedures related to the ADAMS and Whereabouts system​​ 
      • ​​​support for the management of Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) procedures​​ 
  • ​​​Violation of sports rules
      • rule violations such as unsportsmanlike conduct or sports offenses​​ 
      • ​​​transfer of athletes and minors:​​ 
      • ​​​legal assistance in the management of international transfers of players and minors​​ 
      • ​​​support for compliance with FIFA and UEFA regulations.​​ 

As examples​, we detail some of our main experiences​: 

  • in the football sector, with particular reference to contractual and disciplinary disputes and concerning the transfer of minors
  • in the motorsport sector, with particular reference to contractual disputes and disputes concerning decisions of race judges​ and stewards​
  • in the basketball sector, with particular reference to contractual and disciplinary disputes. 

​​​Our experience in sports litigation has led us to successfully represent our clients before the main national and international sports justice bodies. In particular, we assist our clients before the following:​​ 

  • Court ​of Arbitration for​ Sport (TAS​/CAS​) in Lausanne 
  • FIFA Football Tribunal 
  • FIGC Courts and Appeals Courts 
  • CONI Disciplinary Board 
  • Arbitration panels established within professional football leagues (Serie A, Serie B and Lega PRO) 
  • FIA and ACI Sports Tribunals, FIM 
  • ​​Basketball Arbitration Tribunal (​BAT​)​ 

Intellectual Property​ and image rights of athletes

Our attorneys provide legal and tax assistance to athletes and their agents in drafting and negotiating contracts for the transfer, licensing and use of image rights, coexistence, research and development, co-branding, sponsorship and merchandising.  

Our firm can also provide assistance in protecting the image and name of famous people. 

Finally, our professionals provide legal assistance in intellectual property law to national and international clients, including in litigation and before all Italian and European jurisdictional and administrative authorities. 

Legal assistance in eSports

​​​The world of eSports, which is growing rapidly and increasingly professionalized, requires a solid legal foundation to protect the interests of players, teams, organizations and sponsors. For this reason, our Sports Law attorneys support players in eSports with all the services already described and their specific digital applications.​​ 

​​​The most common services include:​​ 

  • ​​​player contracts—drafting and negotiating contracts between players and organizations, defining rights, obligations, compensation and duration of the relationship;​​ 
  • ​​​sponsorship contracts—assistance, negotiation and stipulation of sponsorship agreements with companies and brands;​​ 
  • ​​​streaming contracts—assistance in managing streaming contracts and partnerships with online broadcasting platforms;​​ 
  • ​​​licensing agreements—support for contractual matters concerning image rights and intellectual property related to eSports;​​ 
  • ​​​copyright—management of rights concerning content created by players, streamers and other involved parties (UGC), but also concerning the nickname and identity of the player.​​ 

Support for foreign athletes​ 

​​​Our attorneys assist foreign athletes arriving in Italy with procedures concerning: 

  • immigration and procedures for obtaining entry visas and residence permits for athletes and accompanying persons, as well as visas for sports competitions
  • opening bank accounts and investments
  • insurance policies
  • assistance with rental and leasing contracts. 

Corporate and M&A: assistance to sports clubs​​

​​​Our sports law attorneys, together with Corporate and M&A attorneys, assist sports clubs and investors in extraordinary transactions and in matters concerning corporate governance.​​ 

​​​For further information, please consult our ​​Corporate and M&A services. This includes Due Diligence services for sports clubs, in order to identify possible disputes before the sports justice system and particularly relevant sports contracts, for legal, financial and fiscal purposes.​​

Sporting events, facilities and infrastructures: legal, financial and real estate consultancy​​     ​

​​​Our attorneys handle legal issues concerning the organization of sporting events, from the submission of applications to the realization of the project.  

With reference to the construction of sports facilities and infrastructures, with the support of the Public Law Service Line, we offer assistance in all relevant authorization procedures, including with regard to environmental assessment. Furthermore, our attorneys also offer legal assistance for disputes concerning the acts of CONI and Sports Federations under the jurisdiction of the administrative court. 

Furthermore, with reference to sporting events, they also deal with aspects of finance and real estate law, in collaboration with colleagues from Real Estate Valuation & Advisory and Tax & Legal Real Estate.