Principles Underlying the Adjudication of Selection Disputes Preceding the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games: Notes for Adjudicators

Selection disputes inevitably arise prior to any major games such as an Olympics. Prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, some 25 disputes were heard in Canada. 1 In anticipation of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, an ad-hoc arbitration system was put in place in Canada to deal with these disputes. To assist the roster of adjudicators appointed to hear these matters, the Centre for Sport and Law 2 compiled and reviewed some 30 sport selection disputes from Canadian courts and tribunals. In this article, we summarize the legal basis for decision-making in sport and present some key themes that emerged from the review of these cases.