The Advisory Committee on Sports Dispute Resolution established by the Department of Justice (DoJ) earlier this month held its first meeting today.

During the meeting, the advisory committee considered and endorsed its terms of reference and discussed future work and issues for follow-up, promoting the development of sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong at full steam.

As announced in the Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address, the Government will explore establishing a sports dispute resolution system and promote sports arbitration, leveraging the institutional advantages of Hong Kong in dispute resolution. In this regard, the Government supports the industry in launching a pilot scheme on sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong within 2025.

The advisory committee, chaired by Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, comprises representatives from the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau, the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong. The advisory committee will advise the Government on the design, setting up and implementation of the pilot scheme.

Mr Cheung said that sports disputes are unique and require specific professional knowledge for resolution. As the global sports market continues to grow rapidly, disputes are becoming more diverse and complex, giving rise to an increasing demand for resolution services dedicated to sports disputes.

He highlighted that Hong Kong offers all-round dispute resolution services, featuring robust and reliable arbitration and mediation systems, along with a wealth of arbitrators and mediators with sports expertise. These give Hong Kong a distinctive edge in becoming a regional or even international sports dispute resolution centre.

Mr Cheung said that the DoJ has always been principled and innovative in striving for development in Hong Kong, and the advancement of sports dispute resolution can open up further opportunities for growth.

He added that in the future, the Government will work with the advisory committee to actively carry out preparatory work for the pilot scheme, with hopes to officially launch it within this year to promote the wider use of sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong.