The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an international quasi-judicial body that was created to hear disputes in relation to sports through arbitration. With the rise of sporting disputes occurring, having an independent arbitral tribunal is deemed favourable.

The procedural skeleton for hearing sports related debates usually concerns matters such as disputes regarding sporting employment, disciplinary matters, banned athletic performance-enhancing drugs, selection/eligibility controversies and other concerns deemed adequate.

The Olympic movement has also supported the need to establish a global forum of arbitral disputes.

The CAS has become a central growth hub for resolving sporting disputes from 1987 onwards.

Changes have included amendments to the Code of Sports-Related Arbitration (in force as from 1 February 2023), the Guidelines on Legal Aid before the CAS (in force from 1 September 2013, amended on 1 January 2019, 1 November 2020 and 1 February 2023) and the introduction of the ICAS Guidelines on the hearing of vulnerable witnesses and testifying parties in CAS procedures (December 2023).

CAS: Court of Arbitration for Sport.