Inauguration Of The New Headquarters Of The Court Of Arbitration For Sport(CAS)

Lausanne, 27 June 2022 – The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), governing body of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), celebrates today the completion of the new CAS offices at the Palais de Beaulieu in Lausanne with an official inauguration ceremony.

The ceremony marks the conclusion of the building works that commenced in 2019 following the purchase by ICAS of the south wing of the Palais de Beaulieu in order to provide a permanent home for the CAS.

Since its creation in Lausanne in 1984, CAS has always been a tenant, first near the Olympic Museum, then at the Château de Béthusy, in Lausanne. CAS now benefits for the first time in its history from purpose-built facilities designed to serve its needs.

The facilities include modern offices and meeting spaces for the CAS staff as well as a cafeteria. Three hearing rooms, a mediation room, and a suite of breakout rooms now allow CAS to conduct multiple arbitration hearings simultaneously in state-of-the-art facilities incorporating video-conferencing and simultaneous interpretation equipment. A 92-seat auditorium also allows CAS to organise seminars and
workshops on its own premises for the first time.

The cost for the work relating to the construction of the new CAS headquarters was CHF 37’176’629. Despite some minor delays due to the pandemic and global supply chain issues, ICAS is pleased to note that the project was achieved on time and with a saving of CHF 4’823’371 against the initial budget.

CAS registers around 900 arbitration procedures and organises more than 250 hearings each year. It currently has 45 employees and a recruitment campaign is currently in place to hire additional staff.

Quote from ICAS President, John Coates AC:
“The ICAS is very pleased to give a permanent home to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. I thank the City of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud for their continuous support and for their help in making this new construction possible within a reasonable time. These new facilities are outstanding and will give new perspectives to strengthen CAS arbitration throughout the world.”
Quote from the CAS Director General, Matthieu Reeb:
“The new CAS headquarters are perfectly designed to facilitate the CAS operations and to satisfy its users. It gives also solid guarantees for the future development of the institution. It is the start of a new chapter in the CAS history.

The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) is a Swiss foundation created in 1994 composed of twenty international judges, professors or lawyers active in the judiciary, international arbitration and/or sports administration. As the governing body of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), ICAS manages the administration and finances of the CAS.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an independent institution that resolves legal disputes in the field of sport through arbitration and mediation. The CAS was created in 1984 and its jurisdiction is recognized by all Olympic sports federations and many non-Olympic federations. The CAS registers around 900 cases each year. Additionally, the CAS operates ad hoc tribunals at the Olympic Games, the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and other similar world sporting events