The Court
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an independent tribunal that resolves sports disputes worldwide through arbitration and mediation. Established in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1984, CAS was created to render impartial decisions on sporting matters. Sports organisations and athletes assign CAS the judicial authority to uphold a fair application of relevant laws and sports regulations.
CAS has a central role in the development of sports law and works with more than 450 expert arbitrators to render decisions. Since its inception, over 12’000 cases have been registered with the Court, with an average of 900 cases filed each year. The case load varies greatly, but procedures often involve employment disputes, doping, election contestations, match-fixing, eligibility, governance concerns and unethical behaviour.
During major sports events, such as the Olympic Games and football tournaments organised by FIFA and UEFA, CAS opens temporary offices called Ad Hoc Divisions. Their purpose is to meet the demands of sporting federations and athletes by resolving disputes in an expedited timeframe, sometimes within 24 hours. CAS also has a decentralised office in Sydney and alternative hearing centres in Shanghai, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur and Lima.
The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) is the administrative and financial authority that CAS operates under. It is composed of 22 members representing the Olympic movement, sports federations, athletes and the legal sector. It works to safeguard CAS’ independence, and the rights of parties involved in CAS proceedings.
12’000+ procedures since CAS was founded
917 procedures in 2024
500+ CAS members (arbitrators, mediators and ADD judges)