Lex sportiva and fair-play

Abstract

Basically the work consists of the denial of a claim, which is largely entrenched in doctrine, according to which lex sportiva represents a transnational or non-national legal system, on the one hand, and affirmation of fair-play, as the principle that specifically binds to the sport and that should be defined in the sports codes as one of the basic principles, on the other. Lex sportiva is not a legal order, because behind it there is no sovereign with its legislative powers. Hence we can say that lex sportiva is a set of rules of private law character, whose legitimacy is based on the autonomy of the will of those who have joined together in the sports federation. As for fair-play, it is a principle of ethical character, which includes rules of conduct that derive from the moral understanding of those involved in sports activities on what is allowed and what is not.

Keywords

• lex sportiva
• fair-play
• sport
• sports law
• principle
• morality