Winter sports lawyer
Winter sport almost always takes place abroad
Ski Vlaanderen and the Fédération Francophone Belge de Ski organise winter sport in Belgium. Together they form the national ski federation, affiliated to the Fédération Internationale de Ski. For the Olympic Winter Games the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee decides on the selection, on the proposal of the federation. We assist athletes, parents of young skiers, coaches, clubs and organisers.
A Belgian winter athlete trains and competes almost entirely abroad. That has legal consequences. An accident on an Austrian or French slope normally falls under the law of that country and before the court of that place. Your contract with a resort, an academy or a coach may point to foreign law. Your insurance has to cover competition and rescue costs in express terms. We check those three points before the season starts.
What we do in winter sports
These are the files that reach our desk most often.
Selection for the Olympic Winter Games
Selection runs through the federation and the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee, inside the quota of the international federation. We test the criteria, the reasons given and the equal treatment of the candidates, and we run the appeal within the deadline that counts for the Games.
FIS licence, points and calendar
Without a valid licence and the right points you do not reach the start gate. We challenge a refused or withdrawn licence, a wrong calculation of points and a removal from the start list, and we look at the effect on your qualification.
Accidents and liability on the slope
After a collision on the slope or an accident during a race, the question is who bears the loss: the other skier, the resort, the organiser or the insurer. We look at the conduct rules of the international ski federation, the local legislation and the evidence.
Insurance, rescue costs and repatriation
Many policies exclude competition or off-piste descent. We read the policy of your federation and your own policy together, we challenge a refusal of cover and we follow up the file on rescue costs and repatriation.
Contracts with resorts, coaches and suppliers
We draft and negotiate agreements with a resort, a training base, a coach or an equipment supplier. We look at the term, the fee, the liability, the applicable law and the court that has jurisdiction.
Anti-doping and discipline
A test follows the rules of the international ski federation, the World Anti-Doping Code and NADO Vlaanderen or the ONAD. After an incident during a race or a complaint about conduct we defend you before the disciplinary body of the federation.
How a winter sports lawyer runs your file
Who decides
A selection dispute starts before the federation and the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee, and can go to the Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport. An international case ends before the CAS, which sits in a separate division on site during the Games. An accident abroad goes to the court of that country.
The deadlines
Around a selection for the Games the deadlines are very short, sometimes a few days. An appeal to the CAS normally runs for twenty-one days. A damage claim abroad follows the limitation period of that country, which can be shorter than the Belgian one.
What you do first
Have the slope service or the police record the accident on the spot and ask for a copy of the report. Keep photographs, witnesses and the race rules. Report the claim to your insurer within the period set by the policy and call us with the date of the facts.
Related sports
Badminton ↗
A badminton lawyer in Belgium for players, clubs and federations: tournament entry
Triathlon ↗
A triathlon lawyer in Belgium for athletes, clubs and race organisers: selection
Table tennis ↗
A table tennis lawyer in Belgium for players and clubs: club
Water sports ↗
A water sports lawyer in Belgium for sailors, clubs and organisers: boat
Judo ↗
A judo lawyer in Belgium for judoka, clubs and federations: selection, disciplinary
Combat sports ↗
A combat sports lawyer in Belgium for judo, karate, boxing, MMA
Legal domains in this sport
Doping ↗
Notified of an anti-doping rule violation? Our doping lawyer in Belgium acts
Disciplinary law ↗
A sports disciplinary lawyer in Belgium for athletes, clubs, coaches and referees
Corporate law ↗
A sports corporate lawyer in Belgium for clubs and federations: articles
Criminal law ↗
A sports criminal lawyer in Belgium for match-fixing, bribery, money laundering, violence
Liability law ↗
A sports liability lawyer in Belgium for sports accidents, personal injury, insurance
Tax law ↗
A sports tax lawyer in Belgium for athletes, clubs and federations: pay