Opening Ceremony Speech in 17th IASL congress

Oct 08 2011 | 1:12 PM

Moscow, 27-9-2011

Dear Vice Minister of sport and tourism of the Russian Federation,
Mrs.  Parshikova

Dear Vice Head of the Department of Physical Culture of Sports of Moscow City Government,
Mr. Zakharov

Dear Rector of the Moscow State Law Academy,
Mr. Blazeev

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
I am so glad that I am here with you, in Russia, a country with a great tradition in the field of Sports and Games, and in particular in the beautiful Moscow, where the 17th Congress of the IASL will take place this year.

Firstly, I would like to congratulate my dear friend Davidyants Vagan, who is a member of the IASL Board of Directors and his colleagues for their excellent work they have done for the organization of this very large Sports Law congress, here, in Moscow. In addition, I would like to thank the Department of Physical Culture and Sport of Moscow City Government for the valuable assistance for the organization and the success of the 17th IASL Congress.

IASL members and friends know that in Athens, in 1992, began the attempt to highlight Sports Law as one of the scientific subjects of science of law and sports. Today, Sports Law has become a special area of science, teaching and research worldwide, as well as a special area of professional employment of many lawyers and people active in the sports field, who come face to face with many issues relevant with law and sports rules.

The topic science of this Congress is exactly orientated in the necessity of the establishment of an International Constitutional Charter of Sports as a legitimizing basis of the international Sports and Games, as well as of the rules of international Sports Organizations which regulate the undertaking of Sports and the people being involved in them, such as Trainers, Athletes, factors of Sports and various other entities, relating to issues regarding the conduction and the field of Sports Games.

On these grounds, I would like to thank the Organizing and Scientific Committees, which selected that science topic of this Congress to be: “For an International Constitutional Charter of Sports, Lex Sportiva – Lex Olympica”.

As participants in this Congress, you will have the chance to attend important sessions regarding special issues of Sports Law and in particular issues which concern the rules of Lex Sportiva - Lex Olympica and the international Sports Action. Furthermore, significant topics will be discussed in these sessions, the basic of which concern the general legal theory of Sports Law, Lex Sportiva - Lex Olympica, the European dimensions of Sports Law, special aspects of Sports Law, problems arising from sports practice as well as the fundamental issue of Sports jurisdiction.

In the 17th IASL Congress here in Moscow, distinguished lectures, Professors in Sports Law area of various Universities, Researchers of high prestige and persons involved in international Sports activity and the Olympic Games participate.
 
I am certain that this Congress will be a challenge for a new beginning in the field of research and development of Sports Law in an international level as well for IASL. The excellent preparation of the Congress by both the members of the Scientific and the Organizing Committee in Moscow guarantee the success of the Congress the soul of which is the Co-President of the Organizing Committee, my friend Davidyants Vagan. At this point, I would like to thank, from the position of the President of IASL, all the above mentioned members for their valuable assistance.

I am very happy for the organizing of the 17th IASL Congress, here, in Moscow.

Furthermore, I would like to thank you for your participation in the Congress proceedings and I wish you a pleasant stay here in Moscow and good luck in the Congress.

Thank you all

Dimitrios P. Panagiotopoulos
IASL President