Sports Integrity

The spirit of sport depends, fundamentally, upon the sporting contest being a fair one, on a level-playing field, with the only determining factors being the physical attributes, developed skills, and mental commitment and other innate abilities of the participating contestants.

The long-term health of sport also demands a safe environment for all who participate in it, wherever and at whatever level it is played. All forms of cheating, corruption, and abuse are therefore very serious threats to sport, each requiring a robust regulatory response and constant vigilance from sports governing bodies and other sports regulators.

At Bird & Bird, helping sports regulators to protect the integrity and safety of sport is at the core of our work. Our sports lawyers are experts in good governance, anti-doping, anti-corruption, safeguarding, and other eligibility requirements. We have extensive experience in the drafting and application of a broad range of regulations on these topics, and have been involved in a number of the leading domestic and international sports integrity cases. To our knowledge, we are the only UK firm able to credibly offer a 'one stop shop' for advisory and advocacy services in sports cases.