TPO: Brussels Court "expressed no objection nor reservation towards sports arbitration" (ICAS)

"The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) notes the decision issued by the Brussels Court of Appeal on 29/08/2018 in a procedure involving RFC Seraing (Belgian third division) and Doyen Sports against FIFA, UEFA), URBSFA (the governing body of football in Belgium) and FIFPro," indicated the CIAS, which is the body responsible for the administration and funding of the CAS, on 11/09/2018.

"The Brussels Court said that, in the light of Belgian law, the arbitration exception does not apply in this particular matter, on the grounds that the arbitration clause in the FIFA Statutes is not specific enough. In other words, had that specific CAS clause been more detailed, the arbitration exception would have been upheld and the Brussels Court of Appeal could have denied its jurisdiction. Accordingly, the problem lies only with the wording of the CAS clause in the FIFA Statutes; such drafting issue does not affect the jurisdiction of CAS globally," said CIAS.

"Brussels The Court of Appeal held that the entire system of mandatory arbitration imposed by arbitration clauses…