GASC officially Issued Sports Arbitration Rules

On December 25, 2022, General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) issued Sport Arbitration Rules (“Rules”), which will enter into force on January 1, 2023. The Rules consists of eight chapters and seventy-eight articles, which includes the basis and jurisdiction of sports arbitration, application & acceptance, arbitral tribunal, hearing, decision & award, special procedures, etc.

The Rules clarifies that the special procedural rules for sports arbitration shall apply to disputes over sports events that occur during major sports events or within ten days before the opening ceremony and need to be dealt with immediately. In sports arbitration related to anti-doping, there shall be at least one anti-doping arbitrator and one arbitrator with a jurisprudence background or legal professional experience. Lawyers can register as arbitrators after eight years of practice.