Biswajit Sarkar, Advocates - IP Attorneys
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Practice

Sports Law

Advising athletes, teams, leagues and brands on the contracts, rights and rules that shape modern sport.

Overview

Sport is now a business built on contracts and intellectual property: player and coaching agreements, sponsorship, broadcasting, merchandising and the commercial value of an athlete's name and image. The firm advises on each of these, drawing on its trade mark, copyright and corporate practices.

The practice also supports athletes and organisations when things go wrong, from contract and selection disputes to anti-doping proceedings, before federation bodies, Indian anti-doping panels, courts and arbitral tribunals.

What we do

Services

  • Athlete and Player Contracts

    Selection, pay and a player's future movement are all decided by the contract. We advise on playing, coaching, transfer and agency agreements, examine how payment, duration, image use and termination are handled, and negotiate where the terms are one-sided.

  • Sponsorship and Endorsements

    Brand money now makes up a large share of an athlete's earnings. We draft and negotiate sponsorship, endorsement and ambassador agreements for athletes, teams and brands, setting out what the sponsor may use, for how long, and what the athlete must or must not do in return.

  • Image Rights

    When an athlete's face sells a product, that face is an asset. We register names and logos as trade marks, protect personality rights and prepare licences that tell sponsors and partners exactly how the athlete's image may be used.

  • Leagues, Teams and Events

    Franchise deals, participation terms, venue hosting and ticketing each need their own contract. We prepare and review these agreements for organisers and teams, from the planning stage until the event is over.

  • Broadcasting and Event IP

    A tournament's income depends on its media rights, its name and its logo. We advise on broadcasting agreements, registration of event marks and measures against ambush marketing, drawing on trade mark and copyright law.

  • Anti-Doping

    In an anti-doping case, the clock starts the day a notice arrives. We appear for athletes and organisations before disciplinary and appeal panels and advise on obligations under the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022.

  • Governance and Federations

    A federation's decisions can be challenged if they do not follow its own constitution. We advise federations and associations on their constitutions, elections, eligibility rules and compliance with governance requirements.

  • Sports Disputes

    A dispute over selection or a suspension can end a season. We act before federation bodies, arbitral tribunals including the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the courts, aiming for a fair outcome within the time that matters.

Our approach

How a matter progresses

The usual course of a sports law matter in India, from first instructions to a final outcome.

  1. Objective and position

    We understand the athlete's or organisation's goals, existing commitments and the rules of the sport concerned.

  2. Rights and branding

    We protect names, logos and image rights through trade mark filings and clear licensing terms.

  3. Contracts and deals

    We draft and negotiate playing, sponsorship, endorsement, broadcasting and event agreements.

  4. Compliance

    We advise on federation eligibility rules, governance requirements and anti-doping obligations, including whereabouts and medication.

  5. Disputes

    We act before federation bodies, anti-doping panels, arbitral tribunals including the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the courts.

Questions

FAQs

General information only. For advice on your circumstances, please speak to an attorney.

Can an athlete protect their name and image?
Yes. An athlete can register their name, signature or logo as a trade mark and rely on personality rights, which Indian courts have protected against unauthorised commercial use. Endorsement and image rights agreements should define exactly what a sponsor may use.
What happens after an adverse anti-doping finding?
The athlete is notified and may request a hearing before the anti-doping disciplinary panel, with a right of appeal. International-level athletes may have a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Strict deadlines apply, so advice should be taken at once.
Is ambush marketing illegal in India?
There is no specific statute on ambush marketing. Event owners and sponsors rely on trade mark and copyright law, passing off, and contractual controls such as ticket terms and venue restrictions.

Further reading

From our blog

Articles by the firm's attorneys on sports law.

All articles

Official sources

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