ABU DHABI, 11th October, 2025 (WAM) -- The Regional Sports Arbitration Regional Seminar kicked off today (Saturday) at Bab Al Qasr Hotel in Abu Dhabi, hosted by the UAE National Olympic Committee and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, in cooperation with the Olympic Council of Asia.

The two-day event aims to strengthen the UAE's position as a leading regional hub for sports law and arbitration.

Representatives from National Olympic Committee across South, West, and Central Asia are taking part in the Seminar, which is held under the umbrella of the Olympic Council of Asia to promote legal awareness in sports and enhance knowledge of arbitration systems.

The sessions also encourage the exchange of expertise and best practices among sports dispute resolution centers across Asia.

The first day featured a presentation on the *Overview And Concept of sports arbitration by Dr. Abdullah Al-Hayyan, member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, along with a session on best practices in the field, highlighting the Saudi Sports Arbitration Center's experience.

Attendees included Husain Al-Musallam, Director-General of the Olympic Council of Asia; Dr. Nabil bin Ashour, member of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Asian and UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federations; Mohammed Saeed bin Drouiche, Executive Director of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Butti Al Abdouli, Head of Sports Federations Department; and Dr. Mohammed Fadlallah, Legal Advisor to the Committee.

Tomorrow's sessions will review the UAE and Qatar's experiences in managing sports arbitration cases and the challenges facing sports justice systems in the region.

The UAE National Olympic Committee stated that hosting the Regional Seminar underscores the UAE's commitment to promoting sports justice and enhancing regional cooperation with the Olympic Council of Asia to strengthen governance, integrity, and legal expertise in Asian and global sports.

Al-Musallam emphasised the importance of developing sports justice frameworks, encouraging Asian nations to establish arbitration centers and legislation, and fostering collaboration with ministries of justice to recognise national arbitration bodies. He noted that the Seminar also reviewed the history of sports arbitration from the 1970s to the present, the Saudi experience, and will continue tomorrow with Gulf case studies.

He praised the UAE, Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Olympic Committee and Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their outstanding organisation and efforts to ensure the success of the event.