Certified Sports Arbitrator

Programme Overview

The Certified Sports Arbitrator (SA-001) is an independent, competency-based professional qualification offered by the International Academy for Sports Training. It prepares participants for the adjudicative functions of a sports arbitrator in institutional or ad hoc arbitration, subject to the applicable appointment requirements and governing rules. The programme integrates knowledge of sport, sporting competitions, global and national sports governance, sports statutes and regulations, and the legal and practical skills required to manage proceedings, assess evidence, conduct hearings and produce reasoned arbitral awards. CAS rules and practice are considered as relevant comparative and specialist sources, not as the programme’s awarding or accrediting authority.

Programme Objectives

• Understand the nature of sport and sporting competitions, the global and national sports organisational system, and applicable sports statutes, regulations and national legislation.
• Identify and interpret the sports rules governing a dispute, including their scope, hierarchy and effective dates.
• Analyse arbitration agreements, jurisdiction, admissibility and the law applicable to proceedings and the merits.
• Apply procedural fairness, independence, confidentiality and disclosure duties in arbitral proceedings.
• Manage an arbitration file from commencement through hearing, deliberation and award.
• Develop analytical skills for evaluating evidence, drafting procedural orders and producing reasoned decisions.
• Recognise post-award remedies, enforcement issues and limits of arbitral authority.

Target Audience

Law graduates and legal practitioners; members of sports judicial, disciplinary and appeals bodies; administrators of dispute-resolution institutions; aspiring sports arbitrators and other professionals with relevant experience.

Professional Competencies & Learning Outcomes

• Map the relevant sporting structure, determine the applicable sports statutes and regulations, and classify sports disputes in their sporting context.
• Analyse jurisdiction, admissibility, arbitrability and exhaustion of internal remedies where required.
• Draft procedural directions and plan a fair and proportionate arbitration timetable.
• Assess witness, documentary and expert evidence with appropriate reasoning.
• Conduct hearing simulations while protecting equality of the parties and the right to be heard.
• Prepare a structured, reasoned sports arbitration award and identify available post-award mechanisms.

Curriculum & Training Modules

1. SA-01Legal and Arbitration Foundations18 hours
2. SA-02Sport, Sports Governance and Sports Regulations24 hours
3. SA-03Arbitrator Independence, Impartiality and Professional Integrity16 hours
4. SA-04Jurisdiction, Admissibility and Applicable Law26 hours
5. SA-05Sports Arbitration Case Management24 hours
6. SA-06Evidence Management and Evaluation28 hours
7. SA-07Hearing Management and Due Process32 hours
8. SA-08Adjudicative Reasoning and Deliberation22 hours
9. SA-09Arbitral Award Drafting and Issuance36 hours
10. SA-10Communication, Language and Professional Drafting12 hours
11. SA-11Case Administration, Research and Technology12 hours
12. SA-12Professional Leadership and Integrated Capstone14 hours

Programme Structure, Training Hours & Duration

Training & Teaching Methodology

Learning combines guided online study with professionally supervised, practice-oriented activities.

• Guided study of current sports regulations, CAS procedural rules and selected published awards.
• Practical workshops on jurisdiction, procedural timetables and interim measures.
• Simulated tribunal appointments, case-management conferences and hearings.
• Evidence analysis, deliberation and award-drafting clinics.
• Supervised peer review, professional feedback and reflective case files.

Assessment Methods

Assessment evaluates knowledge, professional judgement and the quality of applied work.

• Regulatory and arbitration-principles assessments.
• Written jurisdiction and admissibility opinion with a case-management order.
• Documentary and witness-evidence evaluation exercise.
• Observed hearing and procedural-objection simulation.
• Reasoned arbitral award based on a complete case file.

Admission Requirements

Admission is based on relevant educational qualifications, professional experience and the programme-specific eligibility criteria set by the Academy. Applicants may be considered under the Academy’s approved recognition-of-prior-learning procedures, where applicable.

Professional Qualification

The targeted Academy professional qualification is Certified Sports Arbitrator, awarded only after the prescribed learning, professional conduct and assessment requirements are satisfied.

This training credential does not itself confer appointment or inclusion on a CAS, national arbitration-centre or other arbitral roster. Such registration and appointments are governed by the competent body’s own rules.