Javelin Sports specializes in providing legal services related to all aspects of sports law. We offer quality legal advice based on an extensive insight and learned experience in the sports industry. The team has a comprehensive understanding of all the relevant legal, economic, and political aspects associated with the global sports landscape.

The firm is comprised of admitted attorneys registered with the Legal Practice Council and have also obtained post graduate certification in Arbitration and Mediation, enabling us to assist with the settlement of all sports related disputes before national and international sports tribunals.

Our legal specialization includes representation and consultancy in respect of:

• Litigation and dispute resolution (such as contractual matters, transfer-related and regulatory disputes, and anti-doping rule violations etc.);
• Contract negotiation and drafting of sports specific commercial agreements;
• Disciplinary proceedings (such as match incidents, transfer-related matters, enforcement procedures and misconduct hearings etc.);
• Ethics and eligibility disputes (such as preliminary and formal investigations, sanctions, and also in the context of eligibility issues and integrity checks etc.);
• Providing advice and party representation in governance and regulatory matters,
• Drafting and amending of sports regulations and statutes.

Javelin Sports is able to represent clients in litigation proceedings before national and international tribunals of all levels, and in arbitration settings on behalf of athletes, coaches and sports bodies.

Our Partner Shane Wafer is a Mediation and Conciliation expert and is a panel member for the National Centre for Dispute Resolution, founded by Titans Cricket at SuperSport Park.

The team approaches each matter with diligence and creativity, always determined to identify and protect our clients' best interests and to advance each matter in a dynamic manner exploring all possible outcomes.

Our areas of expertise include:

• Party representation in domestic and international arbitration forums such as the PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber (PSL DRC), the SAFA Arbitration Tribunal and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), amongst others;
• Party representation before relevant decision making and disciplinary bodies of domestic and international sports federations and associations;
• Party representation in national courts of all levels (including the Labour Court, the CCMA, High Courts, and Magistrate’s and Regional Courts);

Some of the clients we have represented in arbitration include: PSL Coach Cavin Johnson, Olympic runners Nijel Amos, Thapelo Phora and Carina Horn, as well 2-time African Wrestling Champion Arno van Zijl.

Javelin Sports specializes in providing advice to national and international federations on all aspects of governance, regulatory matters and safeguarding issues.

Our partners sit at board level and in the executive management of a number of South African National Federations, including the South African National Archery Association (SANAA) and have experience appearing before SASCOC commissions and committees, as well as representation on constitutional issues before SASCOC general meetings.

Our firm provides legal representation to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on aspects of governance and with regulatory disputes amongst its members.

Our areas of expertise include:

• Drafting of statutes, articles of incorporation, internal regulations and structures as well as sports policies;
• Representation of national and international federations at board level and in executive management;
• Providing advice and representation on constitutional amendments, policy regulation and general sports governance practices.

Javelin Sports is on the cutting edge of this space providing a full array of legal advice in the field of media, entertainment and Web-3 law, including drafting of sports specific commercial agreements, dispute resolution, law on unfair competition, sponsoring, advertising, television broadcasting, media, image and intellectual property rights matters.

Our partners are engaged actively in the roll out of Web-3 Products to the sports sector, with expertise in blockchain and cryptocurrency products, including NFT’s.

The team advises broadcasters, media companies, television rights holders, event organizers, sponsors, athletes, clubs, federations, artists, actors and composers with our Partner Shane Wafer acting as External Legal Counsel to SuperSport Schools and representing international athletes with the role out of their NFT projects.

Our areas of expertise include:

• Drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements (sponsorship contracts, media and television rights agreements, host broadcasting agreements, licensing agreements, agency agreements, services agreements, general terms and conditions);
• Providing regulatory advice and legal assistance in advertising, marketing and event organization;
• Providing legal assistance in the sectors of social media, new media and information technology (drafting of commercial agreements, regulatory advice, personality rights, and intellectual property);
• Registration and protection of intellectual property rights and protection of personality rights; and
• Legal advice on Web-3 Products including crypto marketplaces and exchanges and working with NFT’s providing assistance to international level athletes rolling out NFT’s in the fan engagement sector.