Usually, most professional events in sports law take place in Kyiv, but this time Odesa hosted the roundtable sports law : “Sport. Law. Responsibility: Professional Dialogue.”
The event was organised by the Bar Council of the Odesa Region together with the Sports Law Committee and the Professional Development Committee.
Our team could not miss such an important event, so Juris Ferrum partners — Gnizdovska Nadiia and Gnizdovska Ganna — joined the discussion.
Participants addressed key issues of sports law practice, including:
- how the protection of athletes’ rights works in practice;
- updates in disciplinary and anti-doping procedures;
- hidden pitfalls in transfer-related disputes;
- cooperation between lawyers and sports federations.
⚽ Managing Partner, attorney and PhD in Law Gnizdovska Ganna delivered a presentation on a topic that may seem highly specialised but is crucial for every athlete:
“Specifics of Handling Cases Involving Violations of Anti-Doping Rules in Ukraine.”
Ganna explained:
- how the National Anti-Doping Center (NADC) and the broader anti-doping system function;
- what happens “behind the scenes” with laboratory results during testing ;
- how hearings take place before the Disciplinary and Appellate Commissions;
- when and how cases proceed to CAS in Lausanne;
- which international instruments (WADA Code, ISTUE, Conventions) regulate the process.
For many attendees, the presentation became a practical map — from the moment an athlete is notified to the final decision of the international tribunal.
The roundtable took place in a warm and constructive atmosphere. No formalities — just open dialogue, real case discussions and experience-sharing that continued well beyond the official programme.
Hundreds of lawyers across Ukraine joined the online stream, confirming the growing interest in sports law as a modern and fast-developing legal field.