Sports Law Glossary
Your professional dictionary of international sports law governance, defining legal concepts, code clauses, and regulatory standards.
Force Majeure
Definition In sports law, Force Majeure refers to an exceptional, unavoidable, and unforeseeable event beyond the control of the parties that prevents one or more parties from fulfilling their contractual obligations (e.g. natural disasters, global pandemics, or state conflicts). Contract Terminations and FIFA Rules In professional sports contracts, parties often include a force majeure clause to define how representational rights, salaries, and employment periods are adjusted during national emergencies. In football, FIFA and the CAS have established a very high threshold for accepting a force majeure defense, ensuring that contracts are not terminated lightly under the guise of financial hardship.
Lex Sportiva
Definition Lex Sportiva (often referred to as the "global law of sport") is a body of law and jurisprudence that has emerged independently of national legal systems. It encompasses the statutes, rules, and regulations developed by international sports governing bodies, alongside the legal principles and case law generated by international sports tribunals, most notably the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Characteristics The primary characteristics of Lex Sportiva include: Transnational Nature: It applies globally across borders, regardless of domestic national laws. Private Governance: It is rooted in contract law and private association rules rather than state-enacted statutes. Consistent Jurisprudence: It relies on the accumulated decisions of arbitration tribunals to establish consistent legal doctrines. Importance in Sports Disputes In international disputes involving athletes, clubs, or federations, arbitrators frequently cite Lex Sportiva to maintain a level, homogeneous playing field, ensuring that the same sport is played under the same global rules everywhere.
Solidarity Contribution
Definition Under FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), the Solidarity Contribution is a financial redistribution mechanism. When a professional player is transferred before their contract expires, any club that contributed to their training and education between the ages of 12 and 23 is entitled to a portion of the compensation paid to their former club. Computation The total solidarity contribution represents 5% of any transfer compensation (excluding training compensation) paid for the transfer. This 5% is distributed proportionally among the clubs that trained the player during their formative years, calculated on a pro-rata basis for each season of training. Landmark Rulings The computation and enforcement of the Solidarity Contribution are frequent subjects of appeal before the CAS, which has consistently ruled that training clubs must be protected to ensure the long-term survival of grassroots football academies.
Strict Liability
A fundamental principle in anti-doping law (WADA Code) stating that an athlete is responsible for any prohibited substance found in their bodily specimen, regardless of whether they intentionally or unintentionally used the substance.
Training Compensation
A mechanism in football (FIFA RSTP) designed to reward clubs that invest in training and educating young players. It is paid when a player signs their first professional contract and each time they are transferred until the end of the season of their 23rd birthday.