International sports are events that feature participants representing more than one country. They are often regulated by an international organization that establishes rules and ensures compliance with them. Examples of international sport include the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup.
Despite the desire to unite the world through its events, the Olympic Games have often been overshadowed by international politics and commercialism. This has been particularly the case since the 1936 Berlin Olympics, when Adolf Hitler refused to recognize African American Jesse Owens’ gold medal wins.
In addition to international sport organizations, many countries have their own national-level sports governance structures. These are important because the way a nation governs sport may influence the level of financing provided by the government for its athletes, which in turn can affect a country’s overall ranking in the international rankings of sporting excellence.
Soccer (football) is the most popular sport in the world, with the highest revenues and spectator counts of all sports. It is governed at the global level by FIFA, which establishes the rules for the game and imposes sanctions on players, coaches and agents who violate its regulations. It also oversees the work of referees and maintains a disciplinary code. FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber hears cases involving labor disputes, training compensation, solidarity contribution and more. Selective decisions of the Dispute Resolution Chamber are available online.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an arbitral tribunal that has specialized expertise in the field of sports law. Its decisions are compiled in CAS and Football: Landmark Cases, published in 2011 as part of the ASSER International Sports Law Series.
