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Sporting justice in 24 hours?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
06 February 2026 / Professor Dr Ian Blackshaw
Issue: 8148 / Categories: Opinion , Sports law , Arbitration , International , EU
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To mark the start of the Winter Olympics, Ian Blackshaw reflects on the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport

The Winter Olympic Games, officially known as Milano Cortina 2026, get under way in northern Italy today (6 February) and run until 22 February. For the first time, the games will have two host cities: Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, will, once again, be in session in the form of the CAS Ad Hoc Division and the CAS Anti-Doping Division.

These divisions will be at the games to resolve sports-related legal disputes, such as eligibility issues and doping-related cases, respectively, arising during the games. They will be based at the Hilton Milan, with opening times of 8.30am to 6pm.

Special procedural rules

The CAS first opened a temporary arbitral tribunal for the settlement of sports-related disputes at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, 1996, known as the CAS Ad Hoc Division. This division

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