Member Spotlight: McInnes Wilson Lawyers, Australia

The Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) have partnered together to launch the Aspiring Australian Olympic Funding initiative. This new initiative is a strategic fundraising platform designed to provide financial support to emerging Summer and Winter Olympians whilst enabling individuals and entities to make fully tax-deductible donations through the ASF, a registered Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) under Australian tax law.

Under this initiative, all donations of $2 or more made through the Australian Sports Foundation are tax-deductible, providing an incentive for philanthropic giving. Depending on the donor’s marginal tax rate, the effective cost of a donation may be reduced by 32% to 45%, making it a cost-efficient way to support underfunded Olympic sports. For instance, a $1,000 donation could yield a tax refund of up to $450, bringing the net cost down to just $550.

Many of Australia’s Olympic athletes often earn below the national average and personally cover the costs of training, travel, and competition. By using the Australian Sports Foundation’s tax-deductible giving structure, this initiative opens the door for both corporate sponsors and individual donors to make a difference. Contributions not only help ease the financial burden on athletes but also directly support their preparation and performance.

How McInnes Wilson can help?

We provide comprehensive sports law services, supporting athletes, sporting organisations and businesses in contract negotiations, governance, intellectual property, sponsorship agreements and dispute resolution. Our team understands the unique challenges of the sports industry and offers strategic legal solutions to protect rights, manage risks, and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

You can find more information about McInnes Wilson Sports Law and transactional, advisory and tax experience here. Or contact our team:

Michael Fredericks

mfredericks@mcw.com.au

+61 7 3231 0420

Morgan Gallagher

mgallagher@mcw.com.au

+61 7 3231 0684

The Asia Pacific region has experienced a noticeable increase in commercial sports teams recruiting athletes from outside their home countries. For instance, basketball, volleyball and football players in the Philippines are increasingly sought after by Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan clubs. Similarly, the recruitment of foreign student-athletes, primarily in basketball, volleyball, and football, is rising at the country’s universities and colleges. 

Yet, sports law remains largely unregulated in the Philippines and many other jurisdictions. The absence of clear legal frameworks often creates ambiguity regarding an athlete’s rights and obligations, and many are unaware of their legal protections and responsibilities.

This article explores the key issues and considerations affecting sports law in the Asia-Pacific region.

Contractual Protection

Too often, athletes sign contracts without fully understanding the long-term implications, leading to disputes over payments, sponsorship obligations, image rights, or contract termination terms.

Furthermore, the internationalization of sports has significantly impacted contractual agreements. Contracts involving foreign athletes often raise complex legal issues, such as jurisdictional considerations, applicable law, and cross-border enforcement.

Additional complications arise with young athletes, requiring parental involvement or representation, and raising concerns about consent, capacity, and enforceability.

As a result, athletes and stakeholders, including sports clubs and organizations, national bodies, sponsors, broadcasters, agents, and data providers, are increasingly engaging legal counsel and representation for contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, dispute resolution, and sponsorship agreements.

Athlete & Sponsorship Agreements

Athlete and sponsor agreements and media rights are essential elements of the commercial framework surrounding modern sports. Today’s athletes increasingly act as social media influencers, endorsing consumer products like cosmetics, food, and apparel. 

Athlete agreements typically include compensation, performance KPIs, image rights, media obligations, off-field conduct, injuries, and digital presence. Resembling talent agreements commonly found in entertainment, they tend to be heavily one-sided and complex, particularly when young or inexperienced athletes are involved, placing disproportionate control in the hands of sponsors, teams, or agents.

Sponsorship agreements usually include exclusivity clauses, activation rights, morality clauses triggered by athlete misconduct or reputational risks, and distinctions between team and personal sponsors.

In the Philippines, such arrangements remain primarily informal and are often carried out without written contracts. This lack of formal documentation exposes athletes to considerable legal and financial risks, including potential exploitation, misappropriation of likeness, and non-payment of sponsorship fees.

Media & IP Rights

As athletes continue to commercialize their personal brands, particularly through digital platforms, questions regarding the ownership and control of their name, image, likeness, and other Intellectual Property (IP) assets will necessitate careful legal consideration and clear contractual terms.

Events and competitions are increasingly monetizing sports data, highlights, and digital content, calling for sharper legal focus on trademark registration, licensing, and enforcement, especially regarding digital piracy, counterfeit merchandise, and unauthorized use of content online. 

Media rights involve various legal considerations, including territorial and platform exclusivity, live and non-live content rights, digital distribution protocols, and revenue-sharing arrangements between leagues and athletes. Key concerns include

• Who owns athlete-generated content on social media?
• How is it monetized?
• What happens when it’s shared or sponsored independently of the league or club?

Dispute Resolution

Dispute resolution in sports is increasingly managed through arbitration and mediation. Institutions like the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) are highly effective in preserving the integrity of sports by confidentially and efficiently resolving cross-border disputes and maintaining procedural fairness across jurisdictions.

Notable examples include doping appeals, disputes over athlete eligibility in international tournaments, and conflicts arising from broadcasting and sponsorship agreements.

Given the industry’s accelerating commercialization and globalization, regulatory bodies and legal counsel must stay vigilant in enforcing anti-corruption standards. This includes implementing whistleblower mechanisms, investigating match-fixing allegations, and adhering to codes of conduct set forth by international federations and national governing bodies.

Anti-Doping Laws

The global framework for anti-doping laws and compliance is primarily governed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which outlines the World Anti-Doping Code, a unified set of standards designed to promote fairness, integrity, and health in sports. Member countries and sporting bodies are required to implement these standards through domestic legislation and regulatory policies.

The Indonesia Anti-Doping Organization (IADO) rebranded in 2022 to function as a professional and independent body, crucial in lifting WADA’s previous non-compliance sanctions on the country. The National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) has partnered with IADO to promote anti-doping education and campaigns at all sports levels, from national to local. 

Understanding IADO’s regulations and WADA’s standards is essential for ensuring athletes and support personnel are educated about anti-doping rules and compliant with testing procedures. Compliance also helps uphold integrity in sports.

A Specialized Law Partner You Can Trust

As the sports industry expands and professionalizes globally, the need for robust, adaptable, and forward-looking strategies becomes even more urgent. Whether addressing governance, commercial rights, athlete protection, or emerging digital challenges, experienced legal professionals are critical for shaping a transparent, fair, and sustainable sporting environment.

Globalaw’s Sports Law Taskforce is a dedicated advisory group of 22 member firms and over 30 attorneys in jurisdictions around the world. Through specialized legal counsel and representation that addresses multifaceted issues and cross-border needs, we help our clients develop and implement a legal framework that protects and empowers their interests for today and tomorrow.

Download the Globalaw Sports Law Taskforce brochure or contact me for more information about our capabilities.

(June 13, 2025 – Aiya Napa, Cyprus) - Globalaw, a leading network of independent law firms, announces that its charitable arm, the Globalaw Foundation, presented a donation of 6,700€ to Vagoni Agapis during the 2025 Globalaw European, Middle East & Africa Regional Meeting (GLEMEA) held in Aiya Napa, Cyprus. A portion of the donated funds was raised during a silent auction featuring a painting by Athens artist Cornelius Papadimosthenis.

Vagoni Agapis is a Cypriot non-profit that supports families according to their needs, providing food, clothing, financial assistance, and more.

“The Globalaw Foundation chose this organization because it currently provides financial support for six law students in Cyprus and abroad, enabling them to complete their studies by covering accommodation, tuition fees, and living expenses. Without this support, these students would be at risk of dropping out,” said Theodora Chari from Cyprus-based Pelaghias, Christodoulou, Vrachas LLC, the Globalaw member firm that hosted GLEMEA.

Donating to local charities is a fundamental component of Globalaw’s event programming. Representatives from selected nonprofits are also invited to meet and network with Globalaw member firms, enabling them to increase awareness for their organizations and foster continued connections and engagement.

About The Globalaw Foundation

The Globalaw Foundation supports community organizations focused on helping young people access legal education and increasing access to justice for those who would otherwise be denied it for financial or other reasons. The foundation is funded through donations from Globalaw member firms and funds raised at Globalaw events. Visit www.globalaw.net for more information.

About Globalaw

Globalaw is a global band one Chambers-ranked leading network of approximately 80 independent law firms and 3,000 lawyers in over 60 countries. Our mission is to foster seamless legal collaboration among member firms and assist them in delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions to their clients worldwide. We take pride in our commitment to excellence, global reach, and innovative approach to legal services. Visit www.globalaw.net to learn more.

Media Contact:

Jaime Luckey

jaime@luckeycomms.com

June 2, 2025 – Globalaw, a leading network of independent law firms, announces the launch of its Sports Law Taskforce, a dedicated advisory group comprising 22 member firms that provide specialized legal counsel and representation for athletes and stakeholders worldwide.

“Legal awareness and protection are critical for professional athletes to safeguard their interests, reduce risks and unlock opportunities,” said Jonathan Cheong, a consultant at Bagus Enrico & Partners and head of the Globalaw Sports Law Taskforce. “Many sports contracts include a cross-border or multijurisdictional angle, and with new issues emerging around factors like image rights, digital media and international sponsorship deals, a trusted global legal network is indispensable to ensure athletes are protected and empowered.”

From negotiating and drafting athlete contracts, sponsorship agreements and marketing deals to providing expert counsel on intellectual property rights, endorsements, tax advice, and dispute resolution, Globalaw’s Sports Law Taskforce is equipped to handle all legal aspects of the sports industry.

Member firms include

Americas

• Hinckley Allen (USA)
• Jackson Walker LLP (USA)
• Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP (USA)

EMEA

• Caiado Guerreriro (Portugal)
• Cohen Amir-Aslani (France)
• DeBenedetti Majewski Szczesniak (Poland)
• Des Gouttes & Associes (Switzerland)
• Pelaghias Christodoulou Vrachas (Cyprus)

APAC

• Abacus Legal Group (India)
• Abdullah Chan & Co (Maylasia)
• Ahlawat & Associates (India)
• Bagus Enrico & Partners (Indonesia)
• Calvo Jacob & Pangelinan (Guam)
• CDRP Law (Philippines)
• Chuo Sogo LPC (Japan)
• GoldenGate Lawyers (China)
• Goodwins Law Corporation (Singapore)
• Legal Advisory Council Limited (Thailand)
• McInnes Wilson Lawyers (Australia)
• Oldham, Li & Nie (China)
• Simpson Western (New Zealand)
• Stellex Law Firm (Taiwan)

 “The Sports Law Taskforce amplifies Globalaw’s important role in providing specialized expertise with an international perspective,” said Globalaw President Peter J. Brown. “The collaboration of our member firms meets the industry’s growing demand for a one-stop solution to address multifaceted issues and cross-border needs.”

About Globalaw

Globalaw is a global band one Chambers-ranked leading network of approximately 80 independent law firms and 3,000 lawyers in over 60 countries. Our mission is to foster seamless legal collaboration among member firms and assist them in delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions to their clients worldwide. We take pride in our commitment to excellence, global reach, and innovative approach to legal services. Visitwww.globalaw.net to learn more.

Media Contact:

Jaime Luckey

jaime@luckeycomms.com