Professor Maureen Weston, Olympic Dreams Dashed: Arbitrating Seconds, Grams, Identity, and Time at the Paris Olympic Games 2024 -- Nevada Law Journal

Professor Maureen A. Weston's article, Olympic Dreams Dashed: Arbitrating Seconds, Grams, Identity, and Time at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, (SSRN) is published in the Nevada Law Journal, 25 NEV. L.J. 257 (2025). The article examines the intersection of athletes' rights and the arbitration process and considers recent high-profile arbitration cases arising from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Abstract of Olympic Dreams Dashed: Arbitrating Seconds, Grams, Identity, and Time at the Paris Olympic Games 2024

Disputes that arise on the eve of, or during, sports competitions often demand resolution under extremely short time constraints. At the Olympic Games, disputes are typically resolved through arbitration within twenty-four hours. But where can athletes challenge these decisions? Who resolves these disputes, and under what standards and processes? The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc Division is specifically designed to address such urgent matters. However, the compressed and intensive hearing process, combined with the need for immediate rulings, can sometimes result in questionable decisions or insufficient preparation time for the parties involved. With limited time or narrow legal grounds to appeal ad hoc decisions, these disputes must be re-solved swiftly to ensure the competition proceeds as scheduled.

This Article examines the intersection of athletes’ rights and the Olympic arbitration process. Part I outlines the foundational framework governing the Olympic Movement, highlighting key principles and organizational structures that guide its operations. Part II discusses the structure and role of CAS in re-solving international sport disputes, with a particular focus on the body’s opera-tions during the Olympic Games where it operates through a specialized on-site Ad Hoc Division. The Ad Hoc Division is tasked with addressing disputes that arise during the Games, providing expedited rulings to ensure that competitions can proceed. Part III explores the effectiveness of this arbitration process, considering recent high-profile arbitration cases arising out of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, such as Jordan Chiles and others. In providing insights into how CAS navigates the intersection of legal challenges and sports governance in global sports arbitration, this work aims to highlight the unique vulnerabilities athletes face in these expedited proceedings and to consider procedural mechanisms within CAS in managing Olympic-related disputes fairly and efficiently. As CAS plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of sports amid evolving regulatory and geopolitical landscapes, procedural protections for athlete rights are paramount.