John Coates acclaimed a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Qatar Olympic Committee HG today ©ITG

John Coates, President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, welcomed the opportunity today to form what he called the "foundation of our presence here" ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar.

Coates was among four signatories to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation (QSAF) that was established in August.

Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of Qatar Football Association, was also a signatory.

"This will form the foundation of our presence here during the FIFA World Cup," Coates said. 

"But also we have arbitrators here, and we are pleased that CAS jurisprudence has been adopted here in Qatar in the sporting world.

"This is an affirmation of that."

Asked if he envisaged CAS having a wider influence within Middle East sport, he responded: "We have already been in Saudi Arabia to help there, we have been in Kuwait to help there.

"We are available to conduct cases anywhere.

"It's up to the sports federations and National Olympic Committees to contract to use our services. 

"We can’t impose - there has got to be jurisdiction created.

"But we hope so."

John Coates, President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation today ©ITG
John Coates, President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatar Sports Arbitration Foundation today ©ITG

Coates also confirmed that an ad hoc committee has been in place for the ANOC World Beach Games.

Asked if there had yet been any cases, he replied: "I only came in this morning, but I don’t believe so.

"We've had great support from the Olympic Council of Asia for all of these events."

The other two signatories this morning were Faisal Rashid Al Sahouti, chief executive of Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center, and Jassim Rashid Al Buainain, secretary-general of Qatar Olympic Committee, representing the Qatar Olympic Academy.

H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, was present.

QSAF officially announced the start of its operation on August 18 after the General Assembly, chaired by President Ibrahim Khalil al-Mohannadi, had adopted the decision of the Board of Directors to establish the lists of arbitrators and mediators, which has included 30 arbitrators and a mediator in its first stage, most of whom are from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) list of approved arbitrators.

Al-Mohannadi concluded his statement by saying: "The sports structure is completed today by the activation of an independent institution working to resolve sports disputes independently."