Ukrainian sports legislation has remained virtually unchanged for over 30 years. The current Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports” was adopted back in 1993, when professional sports, the transfer market, esports, commercial rights, and the modern system of corporate governance for sports clubs were just beginning to take shape. Today, however, sports is a full-fledged sector of the economy, encompassing professional clubs, sports federations, investors, sponsors, media rights, and intellectual property.
That is why a new draft law “On Sports” No. 15169 has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, which is intended to replace the current law and introduce a modern model for managing the sports sector. The document has already become the subject of active discussion among lawyers, sports federations, club representatives, and the legal community. The National Bar Association of Ukraine emphasizes that the bill represents a large-scale reform, but some of its provisions require further analysis due to potential legal risks.
Why Ukraine Needs a New Sports Law
Over the past few decades, the sports industry has changed dramatically. Today, professional sports are not just about competition but also a business that involves signing contracts, attracting investment, selling television rights, using trademarks, player transfers, sponsorship agreements, and brand commercialization.
At the same time, current legislation is largely focused on the state system of physical culture and no longer reflects modern realities. That is why Bill No. 15169 proposes a comprehensive regulation of the activities of all participants in sports legal relationships. In particular, the document defines the rights and obligations of sports organizations, athletes, coaches, professional clubs, leagues, federations, and organizers of sporting events. It also devotes special attention to sports funding, the principles of managing sports organizations, the state’s interaction with federations, and the development of the club system.
In essence, the bill aims to bring the Ukrainian sports model closer to European governance standards.
What Changes Await Sports Clubs
Sports clubs will be among the key participants in this reform. For professional soccer, basketball, volleyball, and other sports, the new rules could mean significant changes in how they are organized.
The draft law proposes establishing uniform requirements for the corporate governance of sports organizations. This involves a more transparent decision-making system, clear requirements for bylaws, internal regulations, financial reporting, internal controls, and audits. In addition, mechanisms are provided for preventing conflicts of interest and resolving disciplinary disputes.
For soccer clubs, this means they will need to review their founding documents, internal regulations, corporate governance systems, and management decision-making procedures.
This will be particularly relevant for clubs that collaborate with international partners or plan to attract investors. Transparent governance rules are one of the key criteria for evaluating sports organizations in Europe.
Intellectual property is becoming one of the key assets in sports
For professional clubs, another aspect of the reform is of particular importance: the strengthening of the role of intellectual property.
A modern soccer club owns a significant number of intangible assets: trademarks, logos, club symbols, uniform designs, video content, photographs, official broadcasts, mobile apps, digital platforms, and other intellectual property.
That is why the issue of intellectual property protection was specifically raised during the discussion of the draft law at the Ukrainian National Bar Association. Participants emphasized that modern sports legislation must include mechanisms to protect the commercial rights of clubs, federations, and other participants in the sports industry.
For professional soccer clubs, this issue is of particular importance, as the club’s brand is often one of its most valuable assets.
Lessons from the European Experience
The proposed reform is largely modeled after the European approach to sports governance. In most European countries, the government sets only general rules for the sports sector, while a significant portion of administrative authority rests with independent sports federations and professional leagues. This approach is in place, in particular, in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, where sports organizations enjoy a high degree of autonomy but are simultaneously required to comply with standards of corporate governance, financial transparency, and integrity.
For example, in the United Kingdom, codes of good corporate governance play a significant role for sports organizations. Clubs and federations that receive public funding must meet requirements regarding the independence of governing bodies, transparent management, financial oversight, and the prevention of conflicts of interest.
At the same time, in European Union countries, great attention is paid to protecting athletes’ rights, ensuring transparency in transfer processes, effectively resolving sports disputes, and safeguarding clubs’ commercial rights. It is precisely these approaches that are gradually being integrated into the Ukrainian draft law.
What Legal Risks Do Lawyers Already See?
Despite the positive reception of the reform idea itself, experts point to a number of provisions that require further refinement. During a professional discussion at the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), lawyers analyzed potential risks related to corporate governance of sports organizations, the division of powers between the state and sports federations, the procedure for resolving sports disputes, the protection of the rights of participants in sports relations, the industry’s investment attractiveness, and intellectual property regulation.
For professional clubs, this means that once the law is adopted, it may be necessary to conduct a comprehensive review of internal documentation, employee contracts, bylaws, corporate governance policies, and mechanisms for protecting commercial assets.
This applies in particular to soccer clubs, whose activities are simultaneously governed by Ukrainian law, the regulations of the Ukrainian Football Association, the international rules of FIFA and UEFA, as well as civil, labor, tax, and corporate law.
Therefore, the draft law “On Sports” could become the most far-reaching reform of Ukrainian sports legislation in recent decades. Its goal is to create a modern model for managing the sports sector, bring it in line with European standards, and ensure transparent rules for clubs, federations, athletes, and businesses. At the same time, the new rules will require sports organizations to adapt their internal documents, review their corporate governance systems, and pay greater attention to the protection of intellectual property and contractual relationships.
If you represent a sports club, federation, or other sports organization and need legal assistance, please contact our law firm. We will help you assess the impact of the legislative changes, bring your operations into compliance with the new requirements, and ensure reliable protection of your rights and interests.
