Sports in the Case-Law of the European Court of Human Rights

Abstract

Sport has been an object of interest of international law on several occasions. It has also been a point of interest of regional human rights protection, for example within the legal system of Council of Europe. Recently, the European Court of Human Rights has developed its case-law concerning sport-related issues, such as football supporters related violence and prevention of events of hooliganism, anti-doping related issues or fairness of proceedings before The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne or the protection of professional athletes’ rights in the context of anti-doping requirements. The article focuses on the ECtHR case-law relating to sport within the meaning of the  right to life (art. 2 of the ECHR), prohibition of torture of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (art. 3 of the ECHR), right to liberty and security (art.5 of the ECHR), right to a fair trial (art.6 of the ECHR) or right to protection of private and family life (art.8 of the ECHR).