CAS Opens London Office for Olympics

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have opened up an office in London in order to resolve all legal disputes which may arise during the Olympic Games. 

The CAS ad hoc Division, impotent which was first introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Games, will provide all athletes in the Games with free access to justice.

CAS has promised that decisions will be within the time limits of the Games and the 12-strong panel of experts in sport’s law will be presided over by Judge Juan Torruella from Puerto Rico and Gunnar Werner from Sweden.

The panel will have two UK-based lawyers – Stuart McInnes and Graeme Mew – and the office will be headed up by Secretary General Matthieu Reeb.

Athletes who wish to register a dispute under Rule 59 of the Olympic Charter must do so with the London office of CAS, which will be based at the Grosvenor Hotel in Park Lane.

CAS will then appoint a three-person panel to adjudicate on decisions within 24 hours after hearing evidence from all those involved.

The ad hoc Division has been present at the Commonwealth Games, and at football’s European Championships and the World Cup.