SPORTSDIP: Law as a Tool of Sports Diplomacy

The Embassy of the Czech Republic, in partnership with the Czech Olympic Committee, presents Law as a Tool of Sports Diplomacy, the fourth webinar in the six-part series SPORTSDIP, online on Thursday, September 23, at 10 am EDT/4 pm CET.

After the summer break and the Tokyo Olympics, SPORTSDIP, a series that brings together sports and diplomacy to inspire, entertain, and educate, is back! Delve into the intricacies of law and sports diplomacy with an expert panel addressing such questions as: How does the law influence international relations in sports? What are the international implications of anti-doping rule violations? Join us to learn more and participate in Q&A!

Panelists:                

Marjolaine Viret – Attorney at the Geneva bar/researcher of sports & health, University of Lausanne

Matthew D. Kaiser – Attorney specializing in protecting athletes’ rights

Jan Exner - Lawyer for the Czech Olympic Committee/researcher of sports law, Charles University

Moderator: 

Jan Woska - Cultural Attaché, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, DC
 

Free | RSVP required: https://lawandsports.eventbrite.com

BIOGRAPHIES:

Marjolaine Viret is a Swiss-qualified attorney at the Geneva bar, and a researcher in areas of sports and health at the University of Lausanne. She assists individuals and organizations of the sports sector in regulatory matters or in litigation, in particular in doping cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport or other sports tribunals. She is a lecturer for various academic programs and author of numerous publications in the field of sports law, including the book “Evidence in Anti-Doping at the Intersection of Science & Law” (T.M.C Asser / Springer). Her research interests center on the use of scientific expertise as a basis for policy-making and judiciary decisions.
 

Matthew D. Kaiser is an emerging force in the sports law world. He finds his work protecting athletes’ rights to be truly rewarding. He has been involved in a number of important victories on behalf of athletes. As lead counsel, he has skillfully resolved matters with anti-doping organizations and successfully argued cases in front of various international tribunals, including Lausanne, Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, helping many athletes become eligible for career-defining competitions such as the Pan American Games, Olympics, and Paralympics. He is a leading voice on sports law issues and has spoken at conferences around the world as well as authored numerous articles. 
 

Jan Exner works as a lawyer for the Czech Olympic Committee. He also cooperates with the International Swimming Federation (FINA) as a member of the Audit Committee, and with the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) as a member of the Doping Hearing Panel. Jan is also a Ph.D. candidate and a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the Charles University in Prague. He is the author of the book “Sporting Nationality in the Context of European Union Law” and many expert articles in international journals. His current research focuses on the fight against doping, particularly proportionality of sanctions and anti-doping education. He loves sports both as an amateur athlete and in his profession.
 

Before joining the diplomatic corps, Jan Woska worked in a law office specializing in sports law. He researches legal aspects of manipulation of sports competitions and the growing influence of non-governmental sporting organizations on society and politics. In 2018, he co-founded Footballin, an NGO promoting mutual understanding and respect through sports. He is an active sportsman and never misses a game of his team, Baník Ostrava.
 

Next in the SPORTSDIP Series:

October – Women and Sports: Overcoming Adversity

November – The Importance of Czech Representation in the International Sports Governing Bodies