The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), which serves as the governing body of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has appointed 23 new arbitrators and 2 new mediators as of January 1, 2017.
The CAS is an institution that organizes the facilitating of settlements and rulings in sport-related disputes through a clear-cut set of rules.
Athletes can appeal certain rulings to the CAS, which is independent from all national Olympic committees, to discern rules in sport to level fair-play amongst all nations. An example is Yulia Efimova appealing the decision by the Russian Olympic Committee to remove her from the Rio Olympic team prior to the Games this summer.
MEDIA RELEASE
ICAS, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT, APPOINTS ADDITIONAL ARBITRATORS AND MEDIATORS
Lausanne, 19 January 2017 – The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), the governing body of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), has appointed 24 new arbitrators and 2 new mediators. Effective 1 January 2017, the new members can be nominated to serve as arbitrator or mediator in CAS arbitrations or mediations.
The CAS was created in 1984 to provide dispute resolution services to the sports world. For over 30 years, it has settled disputes involving athletes, coaches, federations, sponsors, agents, clubs, leagues and organizers of sports events from almost every country in the world through arbitration and mediation procedures.
In 2016, the CAS registered over 600 arbitration procedures and 10 mediations – another record year. In line with the growth in the number of procedures conducted by the CAS each year and in order to allow a constant turnover of its lists, ICAS regularly reviews and increases its lists of arbitrators and mediators, focussing on geographic spread as well as on gender and knowledge of the sports world in order to achieve a balanced list of independent legal specialists equipped to meet the unique challenges of global sports arbitration and mediation.
This year, ICAS is especially proud to welcome Ms Zali Steggall, a former champion in alpine skiing (slalom), Olympic bronze medallist in Nagano 1998 and World Champion in 1999, now a barrister specialising in family and sports law.
New CAS arbitrators, in alphabetical order:
Prof. Roger Abrams, USA Dr Siarhei Ilyich, Belarus Mr Richard Akpokavie, Ghana Mr Majid Khuthaila, Saudi Arabia Dr Rashid Al-Anezi, Kuwait Prof. Dr Li Zhi, China Mr Salman A. Al-Ansari, Qatar Prof. Didier Linotte, France Mr Bandar Alhamidani, Saudi Arabia Dr Sven Nagel, Germany Dr Parand Azizi, Iran Ms Carmen Nuñez-Lagos, Spain The Hon. Pierre Dalphond, Canada Ms Zali Steggall, Australia Mr Stephen Drymer, Canada Mr Stefan Geir, Iceland Dr Fan Mingchao, China Mr Robert Weber SC, Australia Ms Raphaëlle Favre-Schnyder, Switzerland Mr Glenn Wong, USA Mr Axel Heck, Germany Dr Norbert Wühler, Germany Mr Bruce Hodgkinson SC, Australia Mr Alain Zahlan de Cayetti, France
New CAS mediators, in alphabetical order:
Mr David Bennett, Australia Ms Konstantina Morou, Greece
Why is CAS especially proud to welcome Zali Steggall? There are many more appointees than she, who are more deserving of accolade. Her success was trivial compared to her contemporaries. Her brother Zeke had more international success! And she’s a family lawyer. The worse kind.