Labour disputes in professional sport will be subject to arbitration in Russia
by Maxim Kulkov (Managing Partner) and Sergey Lysov (Senior Associate), KK&P
The State Duma (the lower house of the Russian Parliament) has passed two Bills that will allow the arbitration of Russian labour disputes in professional sport.
On 21 July 2020, the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian Parliament) passed two Bills “On Amendments to the Federal Law On the Physical Education and Sport in the Russian Federation (Physical Education Law) and Articles 3 and 22-1 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation (Civil Procedure Code) (in relation to arbitration of sport of the highest achievements and professional sport)” and “On Amendments to the Labour Code of the Russian Federation (Labour Code) in relation to Arbitration of the Individual Labour Disputes of Sportsmen and Coaches in Professional Sports and Sports of the Highest Achievements” (the Bills).
The Bills aim to eliminate a contradiction in Russian law as to the arbitrability of labour disputes in sports. Currently, the Physical Education Law provides for arbitrability of individual labour disputes in the sphere of professional sports. However, the Labour Code and Civil Procedure Code provide state courts with jurisdiction over labour disputes.
Once the Bills are adopted, Russian labour disputes in professional sport could be subject to arbitration. It is expected that the National Center for Sports Arbitration at the Autonomous Non-profit Organization (Sports Arbitration Chamber), which obtained the licence to hear arbitration disputes in 2019, will benefit from the reform.
Now, the Bills require approval by the Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian Parliament) and signature by the President.
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