HONG KONG, Jan 3 (Reuters) – In a significant step for sports governance, China has launched its first national sports arbitration center in Beijing, aiming to strengthen the legal framework for resolving sports disputes and protect the rights of athletes.
The initiative is part of a broader drive to professionalize and standardize sports management across the country, especially after several high-profile corruption scandals recently hit the hugely popular sport of football.
According to the state-controlled Global Times, this center will oversee the daily operations of a national sports refereeing commission that was established in February 2023 under the General Administration of Sport of China (GAS).
Since its establishment, the commission has handled approximately 100 cases covering various sports, including chess, football, ice hockey, field hockey, taekwondo and marathons.
These disputes have encompassed a range of issues, from athlete registrations and transfers to youth training compensation, disciplinary measures, eligibility for competitions, and validation of results, according to reports.
-Li Jing, deputy director of the GAS, hailed the establishment of the center as a “landmark achievement” for China’s sports governance at the opening ceremony. “Its establishment ensures order in sports development and strengthens the rule of law in the sector,” Li said.
Particular attention is being paid to domestic football, an area heavily affected by corruption, which fans believe has contributed to the men’s national team’s disappointing results. Last September, Chinese football authorities imposed life bans on 38 players and five officers following a wide-ranging two-year investigation into allegations of match-fixing and illegal betting.
Additionally, in August, a former vice president of the national football association was sentenced to 11 years in prison for corruption, while another former official was sentenced to seven years for similar offenses.
