Lawyer services for sport activities

Law&Trust International specializes in providing qualified legal advice in various areas of law. We are pleased to familiarize you with the company's practice on legal support of sports projects.

The sports industry today is rapidly expanding and diversifying, encompassing not only traditional athletics but also the growing field of cybersports (eSports). This rapid development brings with it a host of complex legal issues that require professional, tailored solutions. Understanding the unique legal challenges in this field, we have formed a dedicated team of legal professionals with deep knowledge and practical expertise in sports law.

As part of the practice, we provide legal assistance to: athletes, sports clubs, coaches, sponsors, sports educational institutions, on any legal issues, as well as advise in the field of cyber sports, regardless of the type of sport and place of business.

Our services for athletes

Preparation and examination of contracts in accordance with the norms of international law:

We review employment and agency agreements with clubs, athletes, coaches and agents; sponsorship agreements; volunteer contracts with sports organizations; and cybersports-related contracts.

Tax advice:

We provide legal advice across a broad range of tax-related matters. Our expertise includes support on deoffshorization regulations, tax structuring for companies and corporate groups, and guidance on individual taxation, including the preparation and submission of declarations. We also advise on the application of profit tax, corporate property tax, and taxes on securities transactions, as well as on international taxation issues and investment-related tax planning. Special attention is given to the correct application of double taxation treaties to ensure compliance and optimize tax efficiency.

Advice on the application of sports legislation:

Our services include the preparation of legal opinions and the provision of oral consultations on a wide range of issues related to the activities of all participants in both traditional and cyber sports. We aim to help clients prevent potential legal disputes that could otherwise disrupt their professional focus and interfere with their core activities.

Consultations on the organization/preparation of competitions:

As part of our services, we provide legal support for the proper organization of professional sports and eSports events to help prevent future disputes regarding the recognition of athletes’ results. We also assist in structuring prize payments in compliance with tax legislation and currency control regulations. In addition, we offer legal guidance on conducting advertising campaigns and managing sponsor relationships to ensure that all promotional and commercial aspects of the event meet applicable legal standards.

Advice on sponsorship and protection of commercial/other rights:

When organizing a sporting event, it is necessary to pay a lot of attention to the relationship with sponsors: on what terms the funding will be provided, how the sponsor transfers intellectual property objects to the organizer. Careful study of these issues will avoid misunderstandings and disputes between sponsors and organizers of the sporting event.

Advice on anti-doping regulation:

We offer legal support to athletes, teams, and coaches facing doping-related allegations. This includes cases where prohibited substances are found in a sample, accusations of attempted use, or suspicions of tampering with doping control results. Our goal is to protect clients’ rights and reputations throughout the entire process.

This is by no means a complete list of situations in which the assistance of a lawyer is required. In order to avoid negative consequences, fines or disqualification, it is important to be aware of your rights and options.
Moreover, the regulation of cybersport also includes anti-doping regulation.

Services for sports organizations

Conflict resolution and representation in dispute resolution:

We have extensive experience in resolving sports-related disputes of varying complexity, both at the pre-trial (claim) stage and during formal litigation. Our team is well-versed in the specifics of sports law and offers strategic legal support to protect our clients’ interests at every stage of the dispute resolution process.

Drafting of legal documents in the field of physical culture and sport:

Our team has solid expertise in preparing and structuring the full set of regulations and rules essential for hosting sporting events. We tailor each document to meet the specific requirements of the event while ensuring full compliance with legal and industry norms.

Legal support for football/hockey clubs and academies:

We provide legal support in drafting and auditing labor, agency, and other contracts, as well as internal policies like fire safety rules, job descriptions, and training procedures. We also help implement trade secret protection and prepare confidentiality agreements to safeguard sensitive information.

Helping soccer clubs and sports schools to receive payments under the solidarity mechanism:

If a professional player is transferred before the expiry of his contract, any club that contributed to his education and training must receive a proportionate part of the compensation paid to his former club (solidarity contribution).
Often there are many disputes over who should pay who and how much money for the transfer of one player to another team.
Our team will help in the correct calculation of the compensation payment and, as a result, prevent or settle the dispute between the clubs.

Advising on the use and protection of image and trademark rights

Every athlete or sports organization and even some cyber sports teams have certain intangible assets that can be misused by third parties. To prevent such infringements, it is necessary to protect the intellectual rights of the athlete or sports organization to the maximum extent possible. For this purpose, it is strongly recommended to register the necessary trademarks and to deposit objects related to copyright (photos, texts, etc.).
Once the intellectual property objects have been registered, license agreements must be concluded for the sale of products with registered objects. A license agreement is a contract between a licensor and a licensee (a person who holds a license to use) to transfer the right to use the exclusive right to the created and/or registered intellectual property objects.
Under a license or distribution agreement, the licensor (the owner of the intellectual property object) authorizes the licensee to use an intellectual property object owned by the licensor in a certain territory.
We do not recommend creating license agreements on your own, but rather contacting professionals who have the necessary experience.
By having comprehensive intellectual property protection, an athlete or sports organization reduces the risks of illegal use of intellectual property. Having a legally correct copyright confirmation allows you to have a firm position in court and claim compensation for copyright infringement.
In addition, the presence of supporting documentation, compiled by professionals, allows you to gain the trust of customers and partners and give the impression of a reliable and responsible counterparty.

Protection of business reputation

A lot of athletes are faced with the publication of inaccurate information about themselves both in the media and on the Internet. Our team will help to remove this information both in pre-trial and in court, demanding compensation.