A Legal Guide to Good Practice in Sport

From the contract to competition

The guide explains how national legislation, federation regulations and international sports rules interact. It examines sports contracts, registration and transfers, remuneration and bonuses, image rights, termination and the competent dispute bodies.

Integrity, discipline and anti-doping

Readers will find guidance on participants’ obligations, disciplinary proceedings, preventing competition manipulation, safeguarding minors and anti-doping rules. Each situation must be assessed according to the sport, regulations, competition, documents and deadlines.

Editorial coordination

The guide is coordinated by George Iulian Murar, head of sports law at Murar și Asociații and a FIFA-licensed football agent. His legal experience and direct involvement in sports adjudicatory bodies support the guide’s applied perspective.

The information is general and does not replace legal assessment of a specific situation.

For players, athletes and families

The first part follows the journey from the academy relationship and signing a contract to remuneration, transfers, image rights and dispute resolution. Minors, agents, eligibility, discipline and anti-doping are addressed separately.

Open Part One · page 10 ↗

For clubs, academies and federations

Part Two covers formation and governance, affiliation and licensing, participant contracts, youth development and commercial relationships. The disputes chapter is supported by jurisdiction maps, checklists and a subject index.

Open Part Two · page 62 ↗

Full contents · 102 pages

1. Sports law · p. 9
2. Sports law for athletes and their families · p. 10
3. 1. The athlete’s legal status and rights · p. 11
4. 2. Young athletes and the family’s role · p. 14
5. 3. The athlete’s relationship with the academy or club · p. 19
6. 4. The sports contract and negotiating the athlete’s rights · p. 22
7. 5. Remuneration and the athlete’s other financial rights · p. 26
8. 6. Unpaid remuneration and ending the club relationship · p. 29
9. 7. The sports agent and representation agreement · p. 33
10. 8. The lawyer and the athlete’s wider support team · p. 36
11. 9. Registration, eligibility and competition participation · p. 39
12. 10. Transfers and changing clubs · p. 42
13. 11. Football-specific issues: contracts, transfers and the FIFA system · p. 45
14. 12. Image rights, sponsorship and public communication · p. 48
15. 13. Anti-doping: responsibility, procedure and jurisdiction · p. 51
16. 14. Disciplinary liability, sports disputes and jurisdiction · p. 58
17. Sports law for sports organisations · p. 62
18. 15. Formation and legal status of sports organisations · p. 63
19. 16. Governance and operation of sports organisations · p. 65
20. 17. Affiliation, licensing and competition participation · p. 67
21. 18. Contractual relationships with athletes and staff · p. 69
22. 19. Academies, athlete development and safeguarding minors · p. 72
23. 20. Transfers, agents and transactions between organisations · p. 76
24. 21. Sponsorship, image rights and commercial activity · p. 79
25. 22. Legal obligations and compliance for sports organisations · p. 82
26. 23. Disciplinary powers and internal procedures · p. 85
27. 24. Disputes, arbitration and managing legal risk · p. 87
28. 25. Football’s institutional, legal and adjudicatory system · p. 90
29. A preventive legal culture · p. 93
30. Glossary · p. 94
31. Sports jurisdiction maps · p. 95
32. Practical checklists · p. 98
33. Legal sources and case law · p. 100
34. Subject index · p. 102

Download the sports law guide ↓