Some comments on the nature and status of lex sportiva within the structure of international law

Abstract

The article presents the legal nature and place of sports law within the structure of international law. It reflects on the types of sources of law, the objective and subjective (institutional) scope of sports law at the international level, as well as raises the question of the need to systematise the terminology as far as concepts such as international sports order and international system of sports are concerned. The author attempts to approximate the definition of lex sportiva and presents selected comments and observations on this notion’s classification as falling under the headings of – accordingly – international, transnational, global and transnational law. In the
final section he argues that the best description of lex sportiva would be the one in terms of global administrative law. He also points to its innovative features, which could constitute a potentially attractive model lex ferenda for other future regimes within the new global law.