Sports law
From 1990 to 1995, Jean-Marc BOSMAN
In the case that gave rise to the BOSMAN judgment (CJEU, 15 December 1995). This judgment enshrined the freedom of professional sportsmen who had reached the end of their contract and ruled that « nationality quotas » limiting the free movement of EU players, were illegal. The BOSMAN ruling revolutionized the law and economics of sport in Europe.
From 1996 to 2001, Gica HAGI and football clubs
In the complaints procedures with the European Commission and in the "Balog" legal proceedings which led FIFA to adopt new transfer regulations in 2001, globalizing the freedom at the end of the contract granted to players by the BOSMAN ruling.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_01_314
In 1999, some thirty international football players (Hagi, Popescu, Abel Xavier, ...) and clubs, including Feyenoord Rotterdam
In the context of proceedings against the main manufacturers of football video games (Electronic Arts, Sony Entertainment, ...) for unauthorized use of players' images. These proceedings resulted in particular in an agreement between the game manufacturers and FIFPro, the global players' union, whereby FIFPro received substantial royalties on behalf of the players.
In 1999 and 2000, the City of Brussels and Standard Liege
For all legal aspects of the organization of Euro 2000.
In 2000, South Africa
To challenge the legality of the FIFA vote awarding the 2006 World Cup to Germany, which led to FIFA's decision to introduce the principle of rotation between continents (starting, in 2010, with Africa and more specifically South Africa).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_FIFA_World_Cup#Bribery_and_corruption_allegations
In 2002, the most important French football clubs (including PSG, Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais)
In the complaint procedure before the European Commission against the French State, denouncing the French law which prohibited clubs from being listed on the Stock Exchange and owning their TV rights. Following the European Commission's letter of formal notice to France in 2006, the law was amended, which allowed Olympique Lyonnais to be listed on the stock exchange.
In 2005, Real Madrid (and some of its players including Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Beckham)
In the dispute between them and online sports betting sites.
David Meca Medina and Igor Majcen
In the case that gave resulted in the Meca-Medina judgment (CJEU, 18 July 2006), which enshrines the application of Community law to all regulations and decisions of sports federations, even anti-doping rules, that have an impact on the economic activity of any actor in the world of sport, and therefore rejects the concept of "sporting exception".
The G-14 (association of the 18 biggest European football clubs)
Notably in the "Charleroi" case, which ended in 2008 with an agreement with FIFA and UEFA whereby all clubs in the world are compensated for the provision of players to national teams and are given joint decision-making power over the sporting and financial format of the Champions League and Europa League.
https://web.archive.org/web/20120425161254/http:/www.tcch.be/images/JGT%20FIFA%20DEF.pdf
The G-14
In the notification procedure to the European Commission of UEFA's joint selling arrangement for the media rights of the UEFA Champions League. In its decision of 23 July 2003, in accordance with the requests of the G-14, the European Commission confirmed that the participating clubs are the co-owners of the media rights of the competition.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32003D0778&from=EN
From 2006 onwards, the "Group Club Handball”
Currently called the "Club Handball Forum", which is the association of the largest professional handball clubs in Europe, as part of the consolidation of the association and its claims to the European Handball Federation (EHF) and the International Handball Federation (IHF).
Yanina Wickmayer, Xavier Malisse and FC Sion
In cases that raise the issue of the right of clubs and athletes to have recourse to the ordinary courts rather than having to resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
https://www.rtbf.be/sport/tennis/detail_l-affaire-malisse-wickmayer-examinee-le-30-mai?id=7735272
The International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT)
Grouping the "Pro Tour" teams and chaired at the time by Patrick Lefevere, in 2007, in the negotiations which made it possible to impose on the UCI and the race organisers, including ASO, a "peace agreement" meeting the minimum requirements of the IPCT.
https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/la-saison-2007-est-sauvee-06-03-2007-2007825656.php
Various professional cyclists and teams
In various cases, including Tom BOONEN and Quick-Step, in the case ordering his reinstatement in the 2008 Tour de France.
https://www.rtbf.be/sport/cyclisme/detail_tom-boonen-au-depart-du-tour-de-france?id=3434173
Aspire Academy (Qatar)
For the legal aspects of its 'Aspire Football Dreams' programme and for the takeover of KAS Eupen in 2012.
Daniel Striani, player's agent, and supporters' associations (including PSG supporters and the Manchester City FC supporters official association).
In actions and complaints launched in 2014 against the "break-even rule" imposed by the UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.
The Independent: Uefa's financial fair play rules face test from the 'Bosman' lawyer
Le Monde: A lawyer who doesn't play fair
BBC Sport: Man City: Supporters' club joins Financial Fair Play legal fight
The Spanish Professional Football League (LaLiga) and the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP) against FIFA
In the Third-Party Ownership (TPO) case, in 2017.
Bloomberg: Portugal, Spain said to complain to EU on soccer finance rules
Adrian Mutu
In the case that resulted in the "Mutu and Pechstein" judgment of 2 October 2018, of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which enshrines the obligation for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to respect the fair trial guarantees provided for in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Miami FC and Kingston Stockade FC (against FIFA, CONCACAF and USSF)
In the litigation to enforce compliance with the principle of promotion and relegation in the US and Canada (2017).
The Global Champions League against the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI)
Before the Belgian Competition Authority, whose decisions obliged the FEI not to hinder the peaceful development of an international competition competing with those organized by the FEI itself.
https://www.abc-bma.be/sites/default/files/content/download/files/2015vm23-abc-pub.pdf
The clubs of Waasland-Beveren and RE Virton
Following the decisions of the Belgian Football Federation excluding them from professional football. Proceedings before the civil courts and the Belgian Competition Authority resulted in the reinstatement of both clubs.
https://www.elegis.be/fr/nouvelle/waasland-beveren-fait-plier-la-pro-league-et-lurbsfa
Antonio Giraudo, former Juventus Managing Director
In an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, denouncing the contravention of Article 6 ECHR by the Italian law conferring a monopoly of disciplinary sanctions on the sports federations, without the possibility of full recourse to the State courts.
The European Super League
A project launched in 2021 by 12 major European clubs to create an international inter-club competition, competing with the competitions organized by UEFA itself.
Many other clubs and sportsmen
In various litigations and commercial negotiations, including: FC Barcelona, PSG, FC Metz, Juventus, AC Milan, FC Porto, PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool, Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Standard de Liège, Royal Antwerp FC, ENIC investment company - owner of Tottenham and co-owner of Rangers FC, Slavia Prague, AEK Athens and FC Basel - GicaHagi, Philippe Mexes, Oguchi Onyewu, Sergio Conceicao, Wesley Sonck, Adrian Mutu, Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini, Alen Halilovic, Lior Refaelov, José Mourinho, Michel Preud'homme, Eric Gerets, Steve Darcis, Olivier Rochus, etc.