Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation signs four MoUs

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation, under the auspices of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of Qatar Olympic Committee, on Wednesday signed Memoranda  of Understanding (MoUs) with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), Josoor Institute, the Olympic Academy, and Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC). 

Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation (QSAF) will accommodate the offices of the CAS Ad Hoc Division during the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. 

In addition, Josoor Institute and the Olympic Academy will provide the necessary academic and practical training to prepare legal professionals who are interested in sports arbitration which will enable them to be international sports arbitrators according to the International standards. 

Furthermore, Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre will provide the necessary logistical and legal support to enable Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation to operate until its headquarters are completed.

After the signing ceremony, HE the President of Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani said that the State of Qatar has taken many steps to regulate the sports sector in order to be more transparent; one of the most important of these steps is the establishment of Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation as an independent organisation to resolve all sports-related disputes in accordance with the best international standards. 

He added that the environment created for the sports sector is based on the principles of transparency and integrity to combat all kinds of corruption.  To achieve this, we have created an independent judicial body that guarantees the application of laws in accordance with best practices,” he said. 

“The cooperation we are witnessing today between the different sports organisations in the country will ensure the optimal exploitation of resources with each organisation working hard without any waste or repetition of resources”, HE Sheikh Joaan explained. 

He concluded his statement by saying that Qatar is proud of the cooperation carried out by the Foundation through signing these agreements, most notably the co-operation agreement with the International Council of Arbitration for Sports (ICAS) to be the first of its kind, which reflects the confidence of international organisations in the State of Qatar and its sports sector.

On his part, HE Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of  the Supreme Committee for Deilivery & Legacy (SC) said: “We are pleased to witness the signing of an MoU between Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation and Josoor Institute, which aims to build local and regional capabilities in sports arbitration, a field that is considered a key element in growing the sporting industry in the region – making it one of the main boosters for Qatar and the Middle East’s economy after 2022.”

Ibrahim Khalil Al Muhannadi, President of Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation (QSAF),  said that under this agreement, Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation will be the seat of the arbitration tribunals for the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 established by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for the tournament, and such agreement guarantees the exchange of experiences to ensure that our organisation operates in accordance with the best international standards and practices.