Requiring good governance from private regulators: what about the rest of us after ESL and ISU?

Abstract

On January 21, 2023, the Court of Justice of the European Union issued two judgments on European Union (EU) law as a check on the regulatory power of sport governing bodies: European Super League (ESL) and International Skating Union (ISU). These judgments clarify that private entities who wield regulatory power are under EU law subject to what can be characterized as good governance requirements. After examining how ESL and ISU enhance substantive and procedural good governance, this article explores who benefits—and more importantly who does not benefit—from these good governance requirements. While there is some ambiguity in the judgments regarding the scope of the good governance requirements, the article argues that they both can and ought to be applied broadly to all who enjoy rights under EU law.