The Statute of the Saudi Sports Arbitration Center has recently been amended to expand the Center’s jurisdiction and further clarify the conditions governing recourse to arbitration, particularly in financial and commercial sports-related disputes. These amendments contribute to greater legal clarity within the sports sector’s dispute resolution framework.

The amendments to Article (8/1) significantly broaden the Center’s jurisdiction to expressly include financial disputes arising from sports sponsorship agreements, sports investment contracts, television and radio broadcasting agreements, and sports event organization contracts, among others related to the sports sector. This jurisdiction applies provided that one of the parties is part of the sports ecosystem and that a written arbitration agreement exists, whether included in the original contract or concluded in a subsequent agreement. This reinforces the principle of consent in arbitration and the central role of party autonomy.

In the same context, the amendments to Article (19) concerning the Ordinary Arbitration Chamber reaffirm the same requirement, stipulating that a written arbitration agreement between the parties is a prerequisite for the Center’s jurisdiction, whether contained in the original contract or agreed upon separately at a later stage. This enhances legal certainty regarding the basis of jurisdiction.

Overall, these amendments reflect a clear regulatory trend aimed at strengthening legal certainty in sports-related disputes. Their key implications can be summarized as follows:

• Expansion of arbitrable disputes to include financial and commercial sports-related matters

• Reinforcement of the requirement for a written arbitration agreement as a condition of jurisdiction

• Reduction of jurisdictional uncertainties in sports dispute resolution

• Enhanced stability of sports investment and commercial transactions

From a practical perspective, these amendments are expected to improve the attractiveness of the sports investment environment by providing a clearer and more reliable arbitration framework. They also assist contracting parties in drafting more precise agreements that ensure the enforceability of arbitration clauses and reduce procedural disputes.

Accordingly, these developments represent an important regulatory step toward consolidating the role of the Sports Arbitration Center as a specialized forum for resolving sports-related disputes within a more transparent and stable legal framework.

For legal assistance regarding sports arbitration, or for reviewing and drafting arbitration clauses in sports-related contracts, please contact us at: Secretariat@icg-online.com Our legal team is pleased to provide the necessary support to safeguard your interests within the framework of sports arbitration and related dispute resolution.