From 11 to 13 October 2024, the 'High-Quality Legal Support for the 15th National Games of the People's Republic of China' seminar was successfully convened at South China Normal University. The event was a collaborative effort between the Sports Law Research Association of the China Law Society, the 15th Games Guangdong Competition Area Executive Committee, and South China Normal University. Distinguished attendees at the opening ceremony included Bo Chu, Director of the Policy and Regulation Department of the General Administration of Sport of China and Executive Vice President of the Sports Law Research Association of the China Law Society, Jian Cui, Party Secretary and Director of the Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau and Deputy Director of the 15th Games Guangdong Competition Area Executive Committee, Binwei Wang, Secretary of the Party Committee of South China Normal University, and Ding Tao (First-Level Inspector), Deputy Director of the Competitive Sports Department of the General Administration of Sport of China and Deputy Director of the China Sports Arbitration Committee. The seminar was well-attended by over 170 participants, including members from the Sports Law Research Association of the China Law Society, the 15th Games Organising Committee, relevant departments of the General Administration of Sport of China, the China Sports Arbitration Committee, Guangdong Provincial Department of Justice, Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau, Guangdong Provincial Bar Association, South China Normal University, and other invited experts and special guests.
Mr. David Wu, a partner at Llinks, Vice President of the Sports Law Research Association of the China Law Society, and a member and arbitrator of the China Sports Arbitration Committee, was invited to the seminar and presented a solo thematic report during the main report session. Mr. Wu's report, titled 'The Role of Lawyers in the Legal Practice of the 15th Games Sports', explored the specific roles and practical contributions of lawyers in event organisation and hosting, sports commerce, and dispute resolution. He shared his experiences and case studies from his involvement in major domestic and international sports events and offered insights and recommendations on the development and protection of the intangible asset value of the 15th Games, key challenges in the legal support of the 15th Games, and the synergy of sports justice between the Hong Kong and Macao SARs and the Chinese Mainland.
In the session dedicated to the practical discussion of cross-border sports event arbitration, experts engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as 'Market Development and Commercial Sponsorship Legal Practice for the 15th Games', 'Legal Practice for Labour Security of Staff in Cross-Border Sports Events', 'Intellectual Property Protection Practice in Cross-Border Sports Events', 'Arbitration Practice in Cross-Border Sports Events', and 'Legal Risk Control of Doping in Cross-Border Sports Events'. Forty panellists from diverse backgrounds clarified the pain points and challenges related to 'cross-border collaboration' in hosting the 15th Games and proposed a series of effective legal suggestions.
In November 2025, Guangdong, Hong Kong SAR, and Macao SAR will jointly host the 15th National Games, marking the first time the Games will be held in the SARs. This seminar aimed to pool collective wisdom and foster close cooperation to ensure the smooth conduct of the 15th Games with robust legal support.
