Governance of sports federations, ­corruption, doping among ABA topics

Allegations and federal charges of corruption involving such world governing sports federations as FIFA, doping and the challenges presented by transgender competitors are among topics to be discussed at the  Latest Trends in Sports Law in Europe and the United States conference co-sponsored by the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section and hosted by the Union Des International Des Advocates on March 31 and April 1 in Miami.

The two-day conference will bring together industry leaders including in-house counsels of major U.S. and European professional sports teams and leagues as well as top officials from international governing and regulatory bodies to discuss the latest developments in the world of sports and athletics.

The conference will focus on the protection of integrity in sports from two angles:

• The governance of sports federations (in light of what is happening at FIFA — world soccer governing body — and the implications for others sports) and financial integrity.

• Integrity of sports competitions, in particular to avoid match-fixing and other frauds affecting the betting industry.
Included in those discussions will be a look at the challenges represented by transgender competitors, fantasy sports, salary caps and doping techniques and assess whether new regulations will be needed in the future.

Top speakers attending the conference include:

• Jean-Jacques Uettwiller, UIA president, UGGC Avocats, Paris, France

• Emanuel Medeiros, CEO of The International Centre for Sport Security Europe (The ICSS Europe) and former CEO of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), London

• Ted Howard, Acting general secretary, Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), Miami

• Kimberly Morris, head of Integrity and Compliance, FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland

• Matthew King, deputy assistant secretary, Department of Homeland Security, Office of International Engagement, Washington, D.C.

• David Gardi, National Football League senior vice president of Football Operations

• Ornella Desirée Bellia, legal affairs manager, Association of European Professional Football Leagues, Nyon, Switzerland