Insights / News
Insights / News
Anthony Lo Surdo SC writes for Resolution Institute on the future of Alternate Dispute Resolution in Sport: the National Sports Tribunal.
Sport’s governing bodies are leading exponents of alternative dispute resolution (‘ADR’) in the resolution of disputes in organised sports. However, given the breadth of sporting interests which range from amateur, to semi-professional and professional, not all sports are well-equipped to determine the types of disputes that frequently arise between participants. The National Sports Tribunal was established to level the playing field in the area of sports dispute resolution by providing for an effective, efficient, independent, transparent and specialist tribunal for the fair hearing and resolution of sporting disputes. It does so by employing a full suite of ADR processes and encouraging the use of processes which optimise the prospects of a successful resolution of a dispute.
It will likely make a lasting and significant contribution to the dispute resolution landscape in Australia.
On 19 March 2020, the National Sports Tribunal (‘NST’) was established pursuant to the National Sports Tribunal Act 2019. It was created with the aim of providing for ‘… an effective, efficient, independent, transparent and specialist tribunal for the fair hearing and resolution of sporting disputes’ for the Australian sporting community, especially across the smaller sports which, unlike the COMPPS, do not have the resources or the capacity to establish in-house dispute resolution tribunals. It provides an opt-in system for the resolution of certain sports and sports-related disputes by arbitration, mediation, conciliation, and case appraisal.
The CEO of the NST is Mr John Boultbee AM, an experienced sports administrator.
In this article, Anthony Lo Surdo SC (a Fellow of Resolution Institute, Grade 1 Arbitrator and inaugural Member of the NST) (‘ALS’), interviews John Boultbee (JB) about the NST, his vision for the organisation and the contribution that it will make to the sports dispute resolution landscape in Australia and for the promotion of ADR more broadly.
You can read the interview here.
Anthony Lo Surdo SC is a Professional Associate at Outer Temple Chambers based in Sydney, Australia. He is qualified to practice across all states and territories of Australia as well as internationally. He has a broad practice both at trial and appellate level spanning diverse areas including commercial, equity, corporations, insurance law, professional indemnity, property and sports law. Anthony is ranked as a leading insolvency and arbitration counsel. He is also a sought after mediator and arbitrator.
If you would like to discuss any of the issues covered in this article please contact Anthony directly or via his practice management team; David Smith on (+44 (0)20 7427 4905) or Colin Bunyan on +44 (0)20 7427 4886.
External Publications 6 Oct, 2020