On 5 May 2026, AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (AALCO-HKRAC), as a key co-organising institution, successfully participated in the “Mediation Week 2026 — Sports Mediation Seminar”, hosted by the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (DoJ). Held at the Justice Place, the Conference brought together experts and stakeholders from the Government, the legal profession and the sports community to examine the vital role of mediation in resolving sports disputes, and to share practical experience gained under the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution (the “Pilot Scheme”).
Strong Government Support Opens a New Chapter for Sports Dispute Resolution
The Seminar was opened by Dr the Honourable Cheung Kwok-kwan, SBS, JP, Deputy Secretary for Justice, who delivered the opening remarks. Dr Cheung highlighted the robust development of Hong Kong’s sports sector and the importance of establishing an efficient and credible sports dispute resolution mechanism for athletes, national sports associations and the community at large. The Pilot Scheme, launched by the DoJ with strong support from the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, is also a key initiative set out in the Policy Address, aiming to provide the sports sector with a fair, efficient and convenient mediation and arbitration mechanism.
Dr Cheung noted the encouraging response from the sector since the Pilot Scheme’s launch and shared positive progress: he was pleased to report that within just over two months, the Pilot Scheme had received multiple enquiries, commenced formal case handling, and successfully resolved its first case. He further underscored that the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address sets out a five-pronged development blueprint for sports—promoting sports participation, elite development, mega events, professionalisation and industrialisation—and that professional sports legal services and dispute resolution mechanisms are foundational to achieving these goals and supporting the long-term healthy development of the sports industry. The DoJ will fully support all stakeholders, including AALCO-HKRAC, in working together to position Hong Kong as a leading international hub for sports dispute resolution.
Panel Discussion: “Mediation First” and Practical Experience under the Pilot Scheme
A highlight of the Sports Mediation Seminar was the panel session titled “Breaking New Ground: Experience Sharing on the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution”, moderated by Mr Hau Pak Sun, member of the Advisory Committee on Sports Dispute Resolution.
During the discussion, Prof Hon Nick Chan Hiu Fung, BBS, MH, JP, Director of AALCO-HKRAC and Legislative Council Member, introduced the Centre’s distinctive strengths and outreach strategy. He emphasised that AALCO-HKRAC is the first arbitration institution in Hong Kong to provide systematic, dedicated training in sports mediation and sports arbitration, thereby giving concrete support to the 2025 Policy Address direction of developing Hong Kong’s sports industry.
Prof Chan further noted that, as the administering body of the Pilot Scheme, AALCO-HKRAC has developed dedicated Sports Industry Mediation and Arbitration Rules to implement the Scheme on the principles of professionalism, independence and efficiency. To promote wider adoption of the Pilot Scheme, the Centre is actively encouraging Hong Kong’s national sports associations to consider updating their constitutions to incorporate AALCO’s model sports dispute resolution clause, thereby embedding an efficient and professional dispute resolution mechanism into sports governance. Prof Chan observed that incorporating the relevant clause into the constitutions of national sports associations is a key step in preventing and resolving disputes efficiently, safeguarding athletes’ rights, and fostering a harmonious sports ecosystem. In the coming months, AALCO-HKRAC will conduct outreach visits to national sports associations to promote the model clause, and will also call on interested individuals to join the field as sports mediators and arbitrators, strengthening Hong Kong’s pool of specialised talent.
Growing Sports Achievements Drive New Demand for Dispute Resolution
A Flexible and Efficient Mechanism to Support Sustainable Industry Development
In recent years, Hong Kong has achieved encouraging results across the “five-pronged” sports development blueprint. As sports activities become more frequent and stakeholders more diverse, disputes may arise in various contexts, including eligibility, incidents during competitions, selection arrangements, disciplinary matters, and sponsorship or other commercial contract disputes. Sports disputes are often highly time-sensitive, and athletes’ competition cycles are measured in days and even hours. If prolonged dispute resolution affects training or causes athletes to miss key competitions, the cost is not only personal but may also affect the broader development of Hong Kong’s sports ecosystem. For these reasons, we consider a mechanism centred on mediation, with arbitration as a supportive backstop, to be particularly well-suited to the sports sector’s practical needs—speed, flexibility, confidentiality and the ability to preserve ongoing relationships.
Since the designated platform commenced operation on 13 February 2026, the Pilot Scheme has demonstrated positive early results. As the administering body of the Pilot Scheme, AALCO-HKRAC will continue to advance its implementation in line with the principles of professionalism, independence and efficiency. The Pilot Scheme adopts a “mediation first, arbitration next” approach to handle different types of sports disputes and accepts applications through a designated online platform, enabling athletes, coaches, national sports associations, event organisers and other stakeholders—often located in different places—to resolve disputes in a more convenient setting. We will also leverage the diverse expertise of the Panel of Sports Mediators and Arbitrators, comprising professionals from Hong Kong’s legal and sports communities as well as internationally experienced experts from multiple jurisdictions, to enhance the professionalism and credibility of the process.
AALCO-HKRAC will continue to work closely with the DoJ, the sports sector, the legal community and all relevant stakeholders through outreach, exchanges and training initiatives, to strengthen understanding and confidence in sports dispute resolution. We also encourage interested professionals to participate in relevant training and to serve as mediators and arbitrators with sports-specific insight, working together to advance the institutionalisation and professionalisation of sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong.
