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	(267912,25902,'PostTitle','The Privatisation of Saudi Arabia’s Football Clubs: An Update'),
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	(267934,25904,'PostTitle','The Privatisation of Saudi Arabia’s Football Clubs: An Update'),
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	(267944,25905,'PostTitle','The Privatisation of Saudi Arabia’s Football Clubs: An Update'),
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	(267947,25905,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:37:10'),
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	(267951,25905,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(267952,25905,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"size-large wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(267953,25905,'MetaLink','content'),
	(267954,25905,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7951&amp;action=edit'),
	(267955,25905,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"size-large wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
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	(267997,25909,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:37:10'),
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	(268001,25909,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268002,25909,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268003,25909,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268004,25909,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7951&amp;action=edit'),
	(268005,25909,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8094 alignright\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
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	(268047,25913,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:37:10'),
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	(268051,25913,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"409\" height=\"230\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268052,25913,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268053,25913,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268054,25913,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7951&amp;action=edit'),
	(268055,25913,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"491\" height=\"276\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8028\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_791480302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"6400\" height=\"2008\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Progress towards privatising the top 14 professional football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (\"KSA\") continues apace in light of a string of recent developments.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Background</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Presently KSA sporting clubs, including clubs competing in the Saudi Professional League (\"SPL\"), are government-owned. This status quo stems from an historic objective to centralise the growth and development of socially-desirable sporting initiatives across KSA sports, including those which may not enjoy the commercial appeal and sustainability of football.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The push towards privatisation of SPL clubs started in earnest in April 2016 with the unveiling of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan (\"Vision 2030\"), which aims to diversify KSA’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. Vision 2030 crystallised the government’s long-standing position, advanced most recently by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman that the privatisation of certain state-owned assets can and should play a significant role in economic and social development. The plan expressly promotes social goals including increasing physical and sporting activities, as well as the creation of new public-private partnerships (\"PPPs\") to establish dedicated sporting facilities and programmes, a general reduction in costs and increased efficiency.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The unveiling of Vision 2030 prompted a number of developments. In May 2016, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare was rebranded as the General Authority for Sports (\"GAS\") and given greater responsibilities for developing sports clubs and facilities. This was followed in June 2016 by the launch of the National Transformation Program 2020, a framework for the implementation of Vision 2030. Shortly thereafter in July 2016, the GAS and the Ministry of Commence and Investment launched a campaign to increase awareness amongst KSA football clubs and other interested parties regarding, inter alia, the need to register trademarks and otherwise protect their IP.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In November 2016, the Council of Ministers approved the Council for Economic Development Affairs’ (\"CEDA\") recommendations to:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">privatise SPL clubs as new corporate entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">give the GAS responsibility for granting licences to such entities;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a Sports Development Fund to finance new stadiums and facilities for clubs; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">create a supervisory committee (headed by the Chairman of the GAS and with representatives of the SPL and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (\"SAFF\")) to oversee the transfer of operational and financial control from government hands to the private sector.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Specific goals for the privatisation process were also set, including elevating the quality and status of the SPL and positioning it to diversify revenues and make a greater contribution to the national economy. All of these steps indicate that a serious review of factors relevant to the privatisation process has been undertaken, underlining the KSA government’s commitment to the project.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Recent Developments</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">A number of recent developments impact, either directly or indirectly, upon the plans to privatise SPL clubs and the potential of a privatised KSA football industry:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2017, Jadwa Investment, one of KSA’s largest privately-owned investment banks, was appointed to advise on the privatisation of up to five SPL clubs, following a competitive tender exercise;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In January 2018, the KSA government lifted the ban on women attending football games and in doing so opened up a large and hitherto un-tapped commercial market for the SPL;</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In February 2018, SAFF announced a new 10 year broadcasting deal with Saudi Telecommunications Company (\"STC\", which is 70% owned by the KSA Public Investment Fund) from season 2018/19 worth $1.76 billion. This deal is reportedly an increase of 61% from the previous deal with MBC and ensures that all SPL games are free-to-air across the MENA region; and</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">In April 2018, CEDA approved a ‘Privatisation Program’ for the creation of, inter alia, the legal and regulatory basis for the privatisation process. The Privatisation Program document confirms that the privatisation of SPL clubs is a core component of the initial tranche of projects due to be finalised by 2020.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">These recent developments demonstrate a number of important points. Firstly, that the KSA government remains committed to keeping up the momentum towards the privatisation of SPL clubs. Secondly, that the privatisation of SPL clubs has become a bellwether project to showcase KSA’s progressive economic and social reforms, with the expectation that the SPL will become a powerful marketing tool for KSA to attract international brands and investors. And thirdly, that the KSA government is committed to grow and develop the KSA football industry in general.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\"wp-image-8094 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/wp2435812-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"409\" height=\"230\" />The Structural Potential of KSA Football</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the preeminent sport in Saudi Arabia. The national team is one of the most successful in Asia, winning the AFC Asian Cup three times (and reaching the final on three further occasions) since 1984, as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup on five occasions, including Russia 2018. Domestically, Al-Hilal FC and Al-Nassr FC are considered to be the amongst the leading football clubs in Asia, having won numerous Asian Club Championship, AFC Champions League and Arab Club Championship titles.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">KSA football clubs tend to rely on a combination of traditional revenue streams (broadcast, commercial and match-day) and contributions from wealthy groups and individuals affiliated, formally or informally, with clubs. The hope is that privatisation will significantly increase traditional revenue streams without impacting investment from wealthy groups and individuals. As touched upon further below, this may require some delicate handling to ensure that the best aspects of modern corporate governance and management structures do not alienate existing financial backers.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Football is the largest spectator sport in KSA and the SPL boasts an impressive average stadium capacity of 33,273 (falling just short of the English Premier League’s 37,644). Given that the average SPL attendance in the 2017/18 season was only 5,726, there is spare capacity into which the SPL fan base can grow. As alluded to above, fan engagement with SPL and attendances are expected to receive a significant boost from the progressive societal reforms taking place in KSA generally.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Fan engagement is also expected to receive a boost due to the new broadcast deal with STC, which ensures that all SPL games will be free-to-air across the MENA region. International broadcast penetration of the SPL has also hitherto been limited, with only about 5% of MBC Pro Sports (the outgoing SPL broadcast rights-holder) subscriptions coming from outside Saudi Arabia. The new rights deal should ensure that SPL viewership increases many-fold.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In addition, KSA has one of the most digitally engaged populations in the world. Mobile phone penetration is extremely high (estimated at 180 subscriptions per 100 residents), it has the highest per capita rate of YouTube use of any country in the world (according to a 2015 BBC study) and its residents use social media for an average of five hours per day (according to a 2016 YouGov study). Potential football fans are therefore increasingly accessible and SPL clubs are increasingly looking to engage with their already very large digital fan-bases.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Potential Challenges</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">After positive reports in early 2017, specific details about the procedural steps for transforming clubs into corporate entities and subsequently formalising the process of private investment, including timelines, applicable regulations and execution documentation have still not been confirmed as of the date of this article’s publication. For example, it is not yet known whether a specific corporate entity will be required to hold the assets, or what form and scope a designated long-term regulator may take and what its part in the privatisation process will be. Anecdotal reports suggest that for the purposes of investment, every club will have two components: assets and real estate; and that a given privatisation need not necessarily include an obligation to purchase the club’s real estate. This would provide some welcome flexibility to investors in considering various business plans and strategies to optimise growth and development in years to come.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Comment</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Subject to effective implementation and the absence of significant market distortion factors, the privatisation of sports clubs can be beneficial in terms of providing both access to capital for short-term investment in stadia, training facilities and playing squads, and also in establishing the necessary business framework to nurture talent and encourage the best practices in club management. Indeed the prospect of attracting owners who are incentivised to bring the best and brightest management teams to drive commercial success could bode well in terms of growing match-day revenues with stadium development and an increased ability to compete for domestic and foreign players.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Given the issues outlined above, the 2020 target date for all SPL clubs to be privatised does seem ambitious, as some commentators have noted; however the KSA government is clearly committed to the project. Indeed, it has become a central pillar in the delivery plan for Vision 2030 and the political capital staked on the project being a success should help drive it forward.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">As touched upon in this article, a number of unknowns remain. For example, the size of the Sports Development Fund earmarked for assisting with this process and the precise details of planned allocations are not officially available at present but the establishment of the fund does suggest an understanding and appreciation that there will be certain costs involved in helping even the top clubs achieve immediate sustainability.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Further afield, the privatisation of SPL clubs has prompted reports that Saudi investors are considering investment into British clubs in order to link them with newly privatised SPL clubs. Ironically, and subject to particular investment dynamics, this could mean that the sovereign wealth fund created by the wider KSA privatisation program may indirectly lead to Saudi investment in European clubs, which we are already starting to see (e.g., Sheffield United), in much the same way that middle-eastern investors have acquired Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It is likely that the SPL would benefit significantly from such tie-ups, as they would bring to the table a wealth of on-field and off-field technical expertise, as well as opportunities to share playing talent and synchronise commercial objectives. In addition to the ancillary benefits of such direct foreign investment, Saudi interests have also been linked with proposals to reconceive the Club World Cup. With greater influence in top leagues and competitions abroad and a roadmap to stabilize and grow the domestic league, the future for the KSA football industry has never looked brighter.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8025\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1051299398.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"5999\" height=\"2678\" /></em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">NB: This article was first published on 15 June 2018 on lawinsport.com</p>\r\n<em>Steve leads Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports and Events Management practice. For further information, please contact Steve Bainbridge (s.bainbridge@tamimi.com).</em>'),
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	(268123,25919,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"405\" height=\"405\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268124,25919,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-8027 \" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"442\" height=\"442\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" />Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>'),
	(268125,25919,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268126,25919,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7952&amp;action=edit'),
	(268127,25919,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-8027 \" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"442\" height=\"442\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" />Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"405\" height=\"405\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>'),
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	(268166,25923,'PostTitle','Introduction to the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC)'),
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	(268169,25923,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:36:57'),
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	(268173,25923,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
	(268174,25923,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"405\" height=\"405\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>');

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	(268176,25923,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7952&amp;action=edit'),
	(268177,25923,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"405\" height=\"405\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
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	(268226,25928,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:36:57'),
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	(268230,25928,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"183\" height=\"286\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
	(268231,25928,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
	(268232,25928,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268233,25928,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7952&amp;action=edit'),
	(268234,25928,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"183\" height=\"286\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
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	(268295,25934,'PostTitle','Introduction to the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC)'),
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	(268298,25934,'PostDate','2018-08-01 07:36:57'),
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	(268302,25934,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"332\" height=\"332\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"188\" height=\"294\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
	(268303,25934,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"183\" height=\"286\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
	(268304,25934,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268305,25934,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7952&amp;action=edit'),
	(268306,25934,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"183\" height=\"286\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"wp-image-8027 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_1016569270-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"332\" height=\"332\" />Football is hugely popular across the Middle East. Its popularity has led some to invest in football clubs. When one considers the wide range of agreements between clubs, players, coaches and sponsors, the potential for disputes is clear. Satisfactory resolution of such disputes is not always easily attainable, considering the specialist nature of sports law and general scarcity of specialist in the field. Bespoke judicial bodies and arbitration centres have recently been established in response.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In 2015, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) approved the establishment the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC). Specifically, the Generally Assembly of the SAOC approved its Board of Directors’ decision to authorize the SAOC President to take all necessary actions to establish the SSAC. The SSAC aims to contribute to the general development of the sports sector and the resolution of sport related disputes. As a result, sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resolution of sports related disputes, has seen significant development. There is no doubt that SSAC has contributed to the preservation of the rights of parties, and the broader development of the sports sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This article considers two significant regulatory regimes in the field of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the Statute of the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre (SSAC Statute) and the Rules and Procedures of the Centre of Arbitration for Sport (Rules &amp; Procedures). Further, the author considers various divisions of sports arbitration with both the ordinary and the appeal arbitration procedures of the SSAC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Established in 2016, the SSAC is located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital. The SSAC is the highest judicial body for sports-related disputes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specialising in the hearing of any sports-related dispute by arbitration or mediation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The legal basis of the SSAC is the SSAC Statute, its procedural rules, and any resolution issued by the SSAC’s Board of Directors. Further, the SSAC was established in line with the Olympic Charter, the statutes of International Federations, the Code of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, and the Arbitration Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This has led to a strong, and familiar, legal basis for its effective operation.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC is composed of five members: one appointed by the SAOC, that individual is the President of the SSAC; one appointed by the Athletes’ Committee of the SAOC; one appointed by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF); and two appointed by the General Assembly of the SAOC.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC does not deal with appeals arising from violations of laws of the game, criminal cases arising from sports disputes, or sports disputes that have not exhausted the internal roads via the competent judicial bodies. Final decisions may be appealed to the SSAC within 21 days of notification.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Procedures</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC Statute and the Rules &amp; Procedures are a set of procedural rules that govern SSAC procedures. The SSAC provides for three types of procedure:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Ordinary Arbitration - in which the parties have agreed to refer a sports dispute to the SSAC in accordance with an arbitration clause in a contract, or in cases where both parties agree to refer the dispute to arbitration after the dispute has arisen.</li>\r\n 	<li>Appeal Arbitration - in which a party has filed an appeal against a decision issued by a national association such as SAFF, or a judicial body related to sport, where the statutes or regulations provide an appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li>Mediation - in which each party has agreed to refer a dispute that has arisen, or a potential dispute that may arise, to an SSAC mediator.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SSAC Jurisdiction</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC has jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sport. Many types of disputes can be referred to the SSAC, including; disputes arising between the SAOC, associations, clubs, members of the boards, members of the general assembly, players, referees, coaches, intermediaries, registered media representatives, organizers of sports events, sponsoring companies, TV transmission channels, disputes relating to sports doping, contractual disputes (provided the arbitration clause refers the dispute to the SSAC), and any international sports dispute (such as may occur in connection with a foreign player or coach) in which the parties have agreed to resort to the SSAC. The SSAC accordingly enjoys wide jurisdiction to hear any dispute related to sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This stands to generally contribute to the development of sports law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian judiciary.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Divisions</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">According to Article 24 of the SSAC Statute, the SSAC shall conduct the arbitration in sports-related disputes through the following arbitration divisions:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Ordinary Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to resolve sports-related disputes that may arise out of contracts containing an arbitration clause that refers any dispute to the SSAC, or out of any subsequent agreement allowing the referral of disputes to the SSAC and to resolve sports disputes that may arise between the parties to any sports matter (athletes, players, intermediaries, sponsors, administrative staff, technical staff, medical staff, sports clubs, sports federations and Olympic committees), provided that such disputes are not subject to appeal before the SSAC.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Appeals Arbitration Division, which shall carry out its tasks in accordance with the following powers: to decide on all appeals against final decisions issued by the sports bodies after exhausting all internal legal procedures, except for football decisions, to decide on objections filed against internal decisions issued by the sports bodies, which do not have protest proceedings provided for in their statutes or regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Football Dispute Arbitration Division, which has the competence to decide on all appeals against the decisions issued by the SAFF and its committees after exhausting all its internal legal procedures, in accordance with the SAFF Rules and Regulations.</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Special Dispute Division, that may be established by the SSAC to resolve all sports-related disputes referred by the General Sport Authority (GSA).</li>\r\n 	<li dir=\"LTR\">Mediation Division, which has the competence to mediate between and assist the concerned parties to reach settlement agreements in contractual disputes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">By comparison, the SSAC’s divisions exceed the number of divisions of the Foundation of Qatar Sports Arbitration (FQSA), another regional sports arbitration body. The FQSA is composed of three divisions, which are the ordinary arbitration division, the appeals arbitration division and the mediation division. The SSAC is composed of the five divisions described above plus newly created divisions, which are the Special Dispute Division and the Football Dispute Arbitration Division. It is to be inferred that the SSAC created a new division for the sport of football because it is the most popular sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it is accordingly anticipated that most disputes will football related.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8095 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_220904572-655x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"188\" height=\"294\" />Applicable law and Arbitration Language</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In the ordinary, appeals or football arbitration divisions, the arbitration panel must follow all of the regulations and rules of the sports body whose decision is appealed against as a means of fulfilling the principles of justice, equity and the Olympic Charter. In the event that no relevant provision is stated in those regulations, then reference may be made to the statutes or regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs) according to each individual case, however, the parties may, in the ordinary arbitration, choose the law applicable to the dispute. From the above article it can be seen that the SSAC shall apply national laws and regulations, although the international regulations can also be applied in cases where there is no relevant provision to be found in the national laws and regulations. This situation helps the arbitrators to issue decisions in line with decisions at the international level.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Arabic language shall prevail as the language before the SSAC. However, English, or any other language, may be used before SSAC with a certified Arabic translation, upon the approval by the Arbitration Panel.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Arbitration Expenses and Fees</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The Party requesting arbitration will be liable to pay the arbitration fees upon submitting the case to the SSAC. In case the Claimant requests an expedited procedure, then that party shall pay the applicable fees for an expedited procedure as prescribed. All fees are non-refundable. Furthermore, the party requesting arbitration shall pay the tribunal’s administrative expenses, while the losing party bears all such expenses unless an arbitral award states that the parties shall cover the expenses equally. One important rule is that the final arbitral award shall be delivered to the parties only after all the arbitrators’ costs and fees have been paid in full. Evidently, the SSAC has strong conditions in relation to fees and protects the rights of its arbitrators.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Notifications and Communications</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">All notifications, reports and communications shall be made through and by the SSAC General Secretariat. In addition, all correspondence must be made in PDF format and sent to an SSAC approved e-mail address which shall be the only legal way for the SSAC to send/receive correspondence. Moreover, notifications, correspondence and communications served to the parties to the arbitration or their representatives must be made through the e-mail address previously specified by them or any other address determined in writing at a later stage or through an online filing platform. In case the notifications and communications cannot be delivered by email then they can be delivered by mail or by facsimile. Notifications and correspondence served on the parties to the arbitration shall be considered legally received if they are sent to the addressees at their SSAC-approved e-mail addresses.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Legal Nature of SSAC Awards</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Arbitration awards issued by the SSAC are final and may not be appealed before any other tribunal, whether inside or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, unless otherwise stated in the SSAC Statute. In sports disputes in which a foreigner is a party, awards may be appealed before the International Sports Federations (IFs) or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), if the relevant statute of an IF states that an appeal shall be made before such judicial body. In case the contract states that the arbitration is within the jurisdiction of the SSAC, then the SSAC award shall be final and non-appealable before any other authority.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The SSAC represents a significant development in sports law, not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also in the Middle East. Litigants may be represented by any licensed lawyer. To date 24 specialist Saudi and Arab arbitrators have been appointed to the panel of the SSAC. Eight international arbitrators, from the list of the CAS, have been appointed to SSAC arbitral panels, demonstrating international confidence. Its wide jurisdiction, and the range of its specialized divisions, will ensure that sports disputes are resolved with high standards of efficiency and in accordance with the best international sports law dispute resolution standards.</p>\r\n <em><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8031\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_224568580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4429\" height=\"2041\" /></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Bandar Alhamidani is a Partner and key member of the Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Sports Law and Events Management team practice. Bandar has acted as an Arbitrator before CAS and SSAC. For further information, please contact Bandar Alhamidani (b.alhamidani@tamimi.com).</p>'),
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	(268442,25946,'MetaValueNew','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8032\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_547395022.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"7952\" height=\"3081\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">With Expo 2020 fast approaching, it is important that participating countries and corporates understand the key employment and immigration considerations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This is particularly so given the emphasis by the Expo 2020 leadership on worker welfare including Health and Safety. Indeed, on 19 April 2018, Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization held an Expo driven Health, Safety, Quality, and Environment (HSQE) leadership event to ensure that all stakeholders including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers, regulators, and partners were cognisant of their obligations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Some of these key employment considerations are addressed below:</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What employment framework is in place?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Broadly speaking for the purposes of Expo 2020, employees will fall into three main categories: Expo 2020 staff, employees working on the ongoing construction phase and participating countries and companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The venue for Expo 2020 is Dubai South (formerly Dubai World Central), a 140 km2 area in Jebel Ali near to the new Al Maktoum International airport. In addition to the prevailing UAE Federal employment and immigration laws, the Dubai South Free Zone Regulations outline the applicable employment/immigration regulations that apply to entities licensed within the Dubai South.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For the purposes of Expo, although Dubai South Free Zone Authority shall have a licensing function, a specially formed Expo LLC shall project manage matters. Expo LLC is preparing the structure to regularise the influx of manpower that will be required prior, during and after Expo in order that it can act as a one-stop shop for such matters.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Expo LLC (via each participating country’s assigned Country Manager) will assess the submitted country plans and thereafter will determine a visa quota for each participating country. A similar process will apply for participating companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It will only be possible to obtain visas for employees once the participating country/company is appropriately licensed. As noted, ultimately the license is issued by Dubai South but all participant interface will be with Expo LLC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What immigration and employment restrictions should be borne in mind?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Upon completion of the licensing formalities (see above), it will be possible to obtain visas for a period of up to 18 months prior to the commencement of Expo with the latest date of expiry being 6 months after the event finishes. Accordingly, the longest period that a visa may be issued for Expo purposes is 30 months (18 months prior to the event, 6-month duration of Expo and 6 months’ post Expo). We anticipate that a streamlined process will be put in place to secure visas and Dubai South ID cards are processed promptly.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">If a participating country or company requires an individual(s) to access the Expo site prior to the completion of the licensing formalities, it must apply to Expo LLC for approval. An example would be a visiting engineer attending the site to carry out a pavilion feasibility study. For such approval to be granted it will be necessary to set out information such as the reason(s) for and duration of the visit. Expo LLC will thereafter assess such an application before approving or declining access.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The license granted to a participating country shall cease 6 months after Expo. If there is a desire to retain a presence in the UAE post Expo, including the presence of personnel in the UAE, separate corporate structuring advice will require to be sought.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">At present, we do not expect the introduction of additional employment legislation in respect of Expo albeit additional guidelines may be issued to supplant the existing suite of policy guidance.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8096 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_416331709-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"384\" />What arrangements are in place for interns and volunteers?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In respect of interns for the event, they are often based in the UAE with a valid residency visa (eg. via a spouse or family member). In such a cases, the steps involved are limited including the provision of a no objection certificate from the legal sponsor and the requirement to obtain a Dubai South ID card.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Past Expo experience demonstrates that volunteers are a major cornerstone of a successful event. The relevant labour laws in the UAE do not specifically provide for volunteering. Despite that, the UAE government has introduced certain volunteering initiatives earlier this year with the aim of increasing volunteer participation. The government has identified 14 specific areas in which volunteering may take place. We expect that this will adequately cater for the requirements of Expo.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Volunteers must register on a designated volunteer platform online. Express provision has been made for Expo 2020 Dubai volunteers being added to the volunteer platform whereby volunteer opportunities are posted and applicants can apply online to participate.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">We will continue to monitor Expo worker welfare developments with interest and will issue a further article in the likely event that further updates materialise in the coming months.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em>Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Employment team regularly advises on regional employment matters and provides key support to our Expo 2020 practice group. For further information, please contact expo2020@tamimi.com.</em></p>'),
	(268443,25946,'MetaValueOld','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8032\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_547395022.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"7952\" height=\"3081\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">With Expo 2020 fast approaching, it is important that participating countries and corporates understand the key employment and immigration considerations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This is particularly so given the emphasis by the Expo 2020 leadership on worker welfare including Health and Safety. Indeed, on 19 April 2018, Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization held an Expo driven Health, Safety, Quality, and Environment (HSQE) leadership event to ensure that all stakeholders including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers, regulators, and partners were cognisant of their obligations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Some of these key employment considerations are addressed below:</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What employment framework is in place?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Broadly speaking for the purposes of Expo 2020, employees will fall into three main categories: Expo 2020 staff, employees working on the ongoing construction phase and participating countries and companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The venue for Expo 2020 is Dubai South (formerly Dubai World Central), a 140 km2 area in Jebel Ali near to the new Al Maktoum International airport. In addition to the prevailing UAE Federal employment and immigration laws, the Dubai South Free Zone Regulations outline the applicable employment/immigration regulations that apply to entities licensed within the Dubai South.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For the purposes of Expo, although Dubai South Free Zone Authority shall have a licensing function, a specially formed Expo LLC shall project manage matters. Expo LLC is preparing the structure to regularise the influx of manpower that will be required prior, during and after Expo in order that it can act as a one-stop shop for such matters.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Expo LLC (via each participating country’s assigned Country Manager) will assess the submitted country plans and thereafter will determine a visa quota for each participating country. A similar process will apply for participating companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It will only be possible to obtain visas for employees once the participating country/company is appropriately licensed. As noted, ultimately the license is issued by Dubai South but all participant interface will be with Expo LLC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What immigration and employment restrictions should be borne in mind?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Upon completion of the licensing formalities (see above), it will be possible to obtain visas for a period of up to 18 months prior to the commencement of Expo with the latest date of expiry being 6 months after the event finishes. Accordingly, the longest period that a visa may be issued for Expo purposes is 30 months (18 months prior to the event, 6-month duration of Expo and 6 months’ post Expo). We anticipate that a streamlined process will be put in place to secure visas and Dubai South ID cards are processed promptly.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">If a participating country or company requires an individual(s) to access the Expo site prior to the completion of the licensing formalities, it must apply to Expo LLC for approval. An example would be a visiting engineer attending the site to carry out a pavilion feasibility study. For such approval to be granted it will be necessary to set out information such as the reason(s) for and duration of the visit. Expo LLC will thereafter assess such an application before approving or declining access.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The license granted to a participating country shall cease 6 months after Expo. If there is a desire to retain a presence in the UAE post Expo, including the presence of personnel in the UAE, separate corporate structuring advice will require to be sought.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">At present, we do not expect the introduction of additional employment legislation in respect of Expo albeit additional guidelines may be issued to supplant the existing suite of policy guidance.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What arrangements are in place for interns and volunteers?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In respect of interns for the event, they are often based in the UAE with a valid residency visa (eg. via a spouse or family member). In such a cases, the steps involved are limited including the provision of a no objection certificate from the legal sponsor and the requirement to obtain a Dubai South ID card.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Past Expo experience demonstrates that volunteers are a major cornerstone of a successful event. The relevant labour laws in the UAE do not specifically provide for volunteering. Despite that, the UAE government has introduced certain volunteering initiatives earlier this year with the aim of increasing volunteer participation. The government has identified 14 specific areas in which volunteering may take place. We expect that this will adequately cater for the requirements of Expo.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Volunteers must register on a designated volunteer platform online. Express provision has been made for Expo 2020 Dubai volunteers being added to the volunteer platform whereby volunteer opportunities are posted and applicants can apply online to participate.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">We will continue to monitor Expo worker welfare developments with interest and will issue a further article in the likely event that further updates materialise in the coming months.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em>Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Employment team regularly advises on regional employment matters and provides key support to our Expo 2020 practice group. For further information, please contact expo2020@tamimi.com.</em>'),
	(268444,25946,'MetaLink','content'),
	(268445,25946,'EditorLinkPost','http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-admin/post.php?post=7953&amp;action=edit'),
	(268446,25946,'ReportText','<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8032\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_547395022.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"7952\" height=\"3081\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">With Expo 2020 fast approaching, it is important that participating countries and corporates understand the key employment and immigration considerations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This is particularly so given the emphasis by the Expo 2020 leadership on worker welfare including Health and Safety. Indeed, on 19 April 2018, Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization held an Expo driven Health, Safety, Quality, and Environment (HSQE) leadership event to ensure that all stakeholders including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers, regulators, and partners were cognisant of their obligations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Some of these key employment considerations are addressed below:</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What employment framework is in place?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Broadly speaking for the purposes of Expo 2020, employees will fall into three main categories: Expo 2020 staff, employees working on the ongoing construction phase and participating countries and companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The venue for Expo 2020 is Dubai South (formerly Dubai World Central), a 140 km2 area in Jebel Ali near to the new Al Maktoum International airport. In addition to the prevailing UAE Federal employment and immigration laws, the Dubai South Free Zone Regulations outline the applicable employment/immigration regulations that apply to entities licensed within the Dubai South.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For the purposes of Expo, although Dubai South Free Zone Authority shall have a licensing function, a specially formed Expo LLC shall project manage matters. Expo LLC is preparing the structure to regularise the influx of manpower that will be required prior, during and after Expo in order that it can act as a one-stop shop for such matters.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Expo LLC (via each participating country’s assigned Country Manager) will assess the submitted country plans and thereafter will determine a visa quota for each participating country. A similar process will apply for participating companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It will only be possible to obtain visas for employees once the participating country/company is appropriately licensed. As noted, ultimately the license is issued by Dubai South but all participant interface will be with Expo LLC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What immigration and employment restrictions should be borne in mind?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Upon completion of the licensing formalities (see above), it will be possible to obtain visas for a period of up to 18 months prior to the commencement of Expo with the latest date of expiry being 6 months after the event finishes. Accordingly, the longest period that a visa may be issued for Expo purposes is 30 months (18 months prior to the event, 6-month duration of Expo and 6 months’ post Expo). We anticipate that a streamlined process will be put in place to secure visas and Dubai South ID cards are processed promptly.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">If a participating country or company requires an individual(s) to access the Expo site prior to the completion of the licensing formalities, it must apply to Expo LLC for approval. An example would be a visiting engineer attending the site to carry out a pavilion feasibility study. For such approval to be granted it will be necessary to set out information such as the reason(s) for and duration of the visit. Expo LLC will thereafter assess such an application before approving or declining access.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The license granted to a participating country shall cease 6 months after Expo. If there is a desire to retain a presence in the UAE post Expo, including the presence of personnel in the UAE, separate corporate structuring advice will require to be sought.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">At present, we do not expect the introduction of additional employment legislation in respect of Expo albeit additional guidelines may be issued to supplant the existing suite of policy guidance.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What arrangements are in place for interns and volunteers?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In respect of interns for the event, they are often based in the UAE with a valid residency visa (eg. via a spouse or family member). In such a cases, the steps involved are limited including the provision of a no objection certificate from the legal sponsor and the requirement to obtain a Dubai South ID card.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Past Expo experience demonstrates that volunteers are a major cornerstone of a successful event. The relevant labour laws in the UAE do not specifically provide for volunteering. Despite that, the UAE government has introduced certain volunteering initiatives earlier this year with the aim of increasing volunteer participation. The government has identified 14 specific areas in which volunteering may take place. We expect that this will adequately cater for the requirements of Expo.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Volunteers must register on a designated volunteer platform online. Express provision has been made for Expo 2020 Dubai volunteers being added to the volunteer platform whereby volunteer opportunities are posted and applicants can apply online to participate.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">We will continue to monitor Expo worker welfare developments with interest and will issue a further article in the likely event that further updates materialise in the coming months.</p>\r\n&nbsp;<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em>Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Employment team regularly advises on regional employment matters and provides key support to our Expo 2020 practice group. For further information, please contact expo2020@tamimi.com.</em>|<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8032\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_547395022.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"7952\" height=\"3081\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">With Expo 2020 fast approaching, it is important that participating countries and corporates understand the key employment and immigration considerations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">This is particularly so given the emphasis by the Expo 2020 leadership on worker welfare including Health and Safety. Indeed, on 19 April 2018, Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization held an Expo driven Health, Safety, Quality, and Environment (HSQE) leadership event to ensure that all stakeholders including contractors, sub-contractors, project managers, regulators, and partners were cognisant of their obligations.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Some of these key employment considerations are addressed below:</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What employment framework is in place?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Broadly speaking for the purposes of Expo 2020, employees will fall into three main categories: Expo 2020 staff, employees working on the ongoing construction phase and participating countries and companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The venue for Expo 2020 is Dubai South (formerly Dubai World Central), a 140 km2 area in Jebel Ali near to the new Al Maktoum International airport. In addition to the prevailing UAE Federal employment and immigration laws, the Dubai South Free Zone Regulations outline the applicable employment/immigration regulations that apply to entities licensed within the Dubai South.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">For the purposes of Expo, although Dubai South Free Zone Authority shall have a licensing function, a specially formed Expo LLC shall project manage matters. Expo LLC is preparing the structure to regularise the influx of manpower that will be required prior, during and after Expo in order that it can act as a one-stop shop for such matters.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Expo LLC (via each participating country’s assigned Country Manager) will assess the submitted country plans and thereafter will determine a visa quota for each participating country. A similar process will apply for participating companies.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">It will only be possible to obtain visas for employees once the participating country/company is appropriately licensed. As noted, ultimately the license is issued by Dubai South but all participant interface will be with Expo LLC.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong>What immigration and employment restrictions should be borne in mind?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Upon completion of the licensing formalities (see above), it will be possible to obtain visas for a period of up to 18 months prior to the commencement of Expo with the latest date of expiry being 6 months after the event finishes. Accordingly, the longest period that a visa may be issued for Expo purposes is 30 months (18 months prior to the event, 6-month duration of Expo and 6 months’ post Expo). We anticipate that a streamlined process will be put in place to secure visas and Dubai South ID cards are processed promptly.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">If a participating country or company requires an individual(s) to access the Expo site prior to the completion of the licensing formalities, it must apply to Expo LLC for approval. An example would be a visiting engineer attending the site to carry out a pavilion feasibility study. For such approval to be granted it will be necessary to set out information such as the reason(s) for and duration of the visit. Expo LLC will thereafter assess such an application before approving or declining access.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">The license granted to a participating country shall cease 6 months after Expo. If there is a desire to retain a presence in the UAE post Expo, including the presence of personnel in the UAE, separate corporate structuring advice will require to be sought.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">At present, we do not expect the introduction of additional employment legislation in respect of Expo albeit additional guidelines may be issued to supplant the existing suite of policy guidance.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><strong><img class=\" wp-image-8096 alignleft\" src=\"http://localhost:8888/tamimi/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/shutterstock_416331709-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"384\" />What arrangements are in place for interns and volunteers?</strong></p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">In respect of interns for the event, they are often based in the UAE with a valid residency visa (eg. via a spouse or family member). In such a cases, the steps involved are limited including the provision of a no objection certificate from the legal sponsor and the requirement to obtain a Dubai South ID card.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Past Expo experience demonstrates that volunteers are a major cornerstone of a successful event. The relevant labour laws in the UAE do not specifically provide for volunteering. Despite that, the UAE government has introduced certain volunteering initiatives earlier this year with the aim of increasing volunteer participation. The government has identified 14 specific areas in which volunteering may take place. We expect that this will adequately cater for the requirements of Expo.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">Volunteers must register on a designated volunteer platform online. Express provision has been made for Expo 2020 Dubai volunteers being added to the volunteer platform whereby volunteer opportunities are posted and applicants can apply online to participate.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\">We will continue to monitor Expo worker welfare developments with interest and will issue a further article in the likely event that further updates materialise in the coming months.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"LTR\" align=\"LEFT\"><em>Al Tamimi &amp; Company’s Employment team regularly advises on regional employment matters and provides key support to our Expo 2020 practice group. For further information, please contact expo2020@tamimi.com.</em></p>'),
