EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION
In December 1974, almost exactly 50 years ago, the European Court of Justice delivered its judgment in Walrave and Koch v Association Union Cycliste Internationale. The discipline of European sports law and policy is half a century old. Many happy returns!
2024 was a year in which the sports movement reflected on the seismic impact of the European Court’s judgments in Superleague, ISU and Royal Antwerp, judgments all issued on the same day in December 2023. It also saw the Diarra judgment, the implications of which will be felt throughout football for years to come. 2024 also marked the 15th anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty entering into force, Article 165 of which lays the foundations for an EU policy on sport. In that regard, 2024 witnessed the adoption of the fifth EU Work Plan on Sport running to December 2027 and we saw Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issue new ‘Mission Letters’ to Commissioners, including the request to the Commissioner-designate for Sport to ‘strengthen European sport diplomacy’.
As EU sports law and policy enters its second half-century, 2025 promises no let-up in the relationship between sport and the EU. The European Court is expected to deliver judgments concerning football agent regulations in Case C-209/23 RRC Sports GmbH v FIFA, arbitration arrangements in Case C-600/23, Royal Football Club Seraing and consumer protection law regarding the provision of sports related services in Case C-365/23, Arce. A challenge to FIFA’s international match calendar is also expected to make progress in 2025. These, and many other pressing issues, will be discussed at the annual Sport&EU conference to be staged at the University of Naples Federico II in Naples, Italy on 30th June and 1st July. Paper proposals are being accepted until January 31st 2025. Please join fellow scholars and practitioners from across the globe at this flag-ship event.
The current edition of this journal once again showcases the richness of sports-related scholarship both within and outside the EU. In this edition, we invite you to enjoy contributions on the French Football Federation’s sports diplomacy activities, sport policy in Romania, good governance and athlete rights, sport diplomacy and the Maccabiah Games and sport policy in Egypt. As you will see, the quality of these peer reviewed original contributions is very high. If you would like to publish with us, please submit an article. We look forward to receiving it.
Vanja Smokvina, Richard Parrish & Borja Garcia Garcia
Editors-in-Chief