The Asian International Arbitration Centre [AIAC] has identified the need for resolution of disputes in the sports industry in Malaysia. Arbitration has been known to be an effective medium to resolve disputes amicably and that conviction remains a principal catalyst for our proposed establishment of a sports tribunal. This tribunal will not only be a dedicated platform for the resolution of sporting disputes in Malaysia but also for the ASEAN region. Backed with the administrative and state-of-the-art facilities of the AIAC, the tribunal will be designed to ensure affordable access to justice for athletes, sporting associations, sports organizations and other persons of interest in the sporting industry.
Drawing from the recognition by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) of the AIAC as an official alternative hearing centre, the tribunal will offer a cost-effective appeal route to CAS, providing aggrieved parties the opportunity to have their appeals at CAS heard in Malaysia at the AIAC.
Notwithstanding the above, sporting dispute resolution in Malaysia remains at its infancy. Knowledge and experience in the theoretical and practical aspects of sports dispute resolution at both, national and international levels amongst sports stakeholders in Malaysia has also been scarce at best. The peculiarities and unique exigencies of sporting disputes and the international implications of decisions rendered in sporting disputes warrants and necessitates specific attention the procedure including but not limited to the procedures undertaken in arbitration as well as a comprehensive and thorough examination of the law of sport. The AIAC Certificate Programme in Sports Arbitration bridges this gap and offers a holistic approach to understanding sports law and the practicalities in the resolution of sporting disputes.
