Sports law issues were the focus of discussions among experts in the field at the workshop held this Thursday by the Albanian Football Federation on the topic “Sports Law Workshop 2024”. A very important activity, already turned into a tradition by the AFA and a very good platform not only for communication and discussion, but also for the exchange of experiences.
This workshop was attended by the President of the AFA, Armand Duka, the General Secretary, Ilir Shulku, well-known figures of sports law not only from Albania, but also from Europe, such as: Thomas Leblatier, Legal Advisor at the Clearing House department of FIFA, Jacques Blondin, Lawyer and Director of the “Regulatory Enforcement” Department at FIFA, Salvatore Civale, Director of the Sports Legislation and Policy Center, Andrea Marchetti, Lawyer specialized in the field of sports law and Aldi Topçiu, Director of the Legal and Licensing Department at the AFL.
The president of the Albanian Football Federation, Armand Duka, greeted the participants with a word of chance, as he encouraged everyone to get involved and benefit as much as possible from this workshop, to deepen their knowledge in this field. Among other things, President Duka welcomed the presence of FIFA and European legal experts in this workshop.
“It is an honor and a pleasure to welcome you to the 2024 sports law seminar here at the “House of Football”. This organization is now in its third consecutive edition and seems to have become a fixed meeting in the calendar of our sports law community, bringing together field specialists from FIFA, prominent sports lawyers from all over Europe with members of our legal bodies and representatives of our member clubs.
As President of the Albanian Football Federation, I come before you with great pride, recognizing the importance of strengthening a strong legal foundation in the field of football. Our beautiful sport has evolved into a global phenomenon, capturing the hearts of millions and with such a huge following comes the need for strong legal frameworks that ensure fairness, integrity and the well-being of all involved.
The presence of legal experts honored by FIFA and Europe at this seminar reflects our commitment to respect the highest standards and bring to our members the latest developments in sports justice. It is also a testament to the spirit of collaboration that unites us in the pursuit of excellence and the advancement of football as a force for positive change.
To the lawyers and lawyers of the clubs, committee members and all participants present today, I encourage you to actively engage in the discussions, share your knowledge and benefit from the wealth of knowledge that will be shared during this workshop. These events should serve as a reference for you to delve deeper into your field and assist your clubs but also the AFL in solving legal problems in sports, which have often brought significant financial penalties for non-fulfillment of obligations arising from regulations that could have been easily avoided.
As we delve into these discussions, let’s keep in mind the power that football holds not only as a game, but as a vehicle for social cohesion, cultural exchange and inclusion. I also want to invite you to use this event to expand your network of contacts. In fact, the AFL itself, from the first workshop organized in 2019, has gained collaborators who have represented us with dignity in CAS, Lausanne.
Once again, I express my gratitude to all the participants, in the first place to the announcers for the expertise they will share with us, and I expect that this meeting will serve as a moment of learning, cooperation and progress for the legal football community” – he underlined President Duka in his speech of the occasion.
In the workshop organized today in the “House of Football”, issues of sports law were discussed, where various topics such as the transfer of players, the regulation of FIFA agents, EU jurisprudence and the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice were discussed football, FIFA, bringing the latest developments in this field.
