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    Sports law for clubs and athletes

    End-to-end legal support for sport — contracts, transfers, image rights, sponsorship and disputes — for clubs, athletes, coaches, agents, sponsors and organisers, from the domestic level up to CAS in Lausanne.

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    Sport today is a business with a dense, multi-layered legal environment: alongside state law, federation and association regulations apply, and disputes are resolved by specialised disciplinary bodies and arbitration. Player and coaching contracts, transfers, image and broadcasting rights, sponsorship, discipline, doping, event organisation — each of these areas has its own rules.

    We advise clubs, athletes, coaches, agents, sponsors and event organisers throughout the entire life cycle of a sports matter. We draft documents to withstand federation review and any arbitration, and we work at the pace of transfer windows and disciplinary deadlines.

    What we cover

    Contracts & transfers

    Player & coaching contracts

    negotiating and drafting player, coaching and intermediary (agent) agreements.

    Transfers & loans

    transfer and loan agreements, buy-out and option-to-buy clauses, exposure to training compensation and the solidarity mechanism.

    Image, sponsorship & media

    Image-rights protection

    licensing and protecting an athlete's image rights (Art. 81 of the Copyright Act) — endorsement, merchandising, use in games and campaigns.

    Sponsorship & media

    sponsorship agreements (an unnamed contract type — we draft it precisely), naming rights, broadcasting and streaming rights.

    Disputes & integrity

    Disciplinary proceedings

    representation before clubs, associations and the POLADA Disciplinary Panel.

    Sports arbitration

    representation before the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the Polish Olympic Committee and CAS in Lausanne, including appeals.

    Integrity

    anti-doping, match-fixing risk, compliance with agent licensing (FFAR).

    Governance, events & esports

    Governance

    club and association statutes and regulations, licensing-system compliance, corporate and election disputes.

    Event support

    mass-event permits, safety, organiser liability.

    Esports

    agreements with players, teams, streamers and organisers, EULA and tournament-rules compliance, IP and sponsorship.

    Sports betting

    market-participation rules, sponsorship, advertising and permits.

    When to reach out

    When a club needs a watertight contract before a transfer window closes. When a player or club disputes remuneration, unilateral termination, or a buy-out clause. When disciplinary proceedings (doping, discipline, corruption) threaten before a federation, POLADA or CAS. When someone has unlawfully used an athlete's image. When a federation or club must align its statutes with licensing requirements. When you are organising an event and need permits and the right liability structure.

    Our approach

    1

    Case / document analysis

    we assess the legal position and risk.

    2

    Strategy

    negotiate or go to arbitration; how to protect the client's interests.

    3

    Representation

    before the right body: the federation, POLADA, the Tribunal at the Polish Olympic Committee, or CAS.

    4

    Resolution & compliance

    we close out the matter and implement lessons for the future.

    Who this is for

    Sports clubs and associations, athletes and coaches, agents, sponsors and broadcasters, event organisers, esports organisations, and investors evaluating a club acquisition.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    At what age can a player sign their first professional football contract?

    Such a contract may be concluded only by a player who has reached the age of 15 at the time of signing.

    An offer to sign it may not be made earlier than 60 days before the player turns 15.

    What is a sell-on fee in a football contract?

    This clause establishes the right of a player's former club to receive an additional amount if the player is later transferred on by the club that had previously acquired them.

    In practice this payment is usually defined as a percentage of the value of the future transfer, and the ability to claim it is typically limited to the term of the player's contract with the acquiring club.

    What does the Football Arbitration Court (Piłkarski Sąd Polubowny) handle?

    The Football Arbitration Court hears disputes connected with football where, under FIFA, UEFA or PZPN (the Polish Football Association) rules, they are to be resolved by arbitration.

    This covers in particular pecuniary disputes, disputes over non-pecuniary rights that may be the subject of a settlement, matters relating to players' contractual stability, and appeals against final decisions of the PZPN Club Licensing Appeals Committee refusing, suspending or withdrawing a club licence.

    Who issues the permit to hold a mass event?

    The permit to hold a mass event is issued by the head of the commune's executive — the wójt, mayor (burmistrz) or city president (prezydent miasta), depending on the type of municipality.

    The competent authority is determined by the place where the mass event is held.

    What is the maximum term of a contract with a football agent under the FFAR rules?

    The maximum term of a representation agreement with an individual client is 2 years.

    There is, however, no such limit for representation agreements with an institutional client.

    General information — not legal advice. The status of regulations (including FFAR) is verified against the current legal position.

    Our experts

    The team to handle your matters — from the first conversation to day-to-day support.

    Łukasz Kudela

    Łukasz Kudela

    Senior Associate | Attorney-at-Law | Approved AML & Sanctions Officer | Cryptocurrency Project Manager

    Łukasz combines civil and commercial experience with sports-sector work — contracts, transfers and disputes before sports bodies.

    Contact ŁukaszClick the card to see the full profile ›

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