HBKU College of Law examines major sports events from perspective of legal compliance

Participants of the webinar.

The College of Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently held a webinar titled 'Legal Compliance and Major Sports Events', focusing on international legal standards as they relate to major sports events such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and the Asian Games. The session highlighted how sports, which were traditionally self-regulated, have become subject to intense legal scrutiny. It examined the treaties, rules, regulations and norms that govern prestigious sporting competitions against the background of the broad spectrum of legal challenges for governing bodies, public agencies, and other stakeholders. The discussion specifically broke down the complexities of regulating anti-corruption, anti-doping and labour rights. A major theme from the session was the need for transparency, integrity and good governance, both as to the games and the environment in which they are hosted. A second overriding lesson is that major sports events have the potential to build an economic, social and environmental legacy. The session identified the drivers of this legacy.