Principles of international contract law as the basis for regulating modern sports legal relations

Author : Kasianovskyi Ivan

Abstract : The research analyzes the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts as a universal instrument for harmonizing international contract law and determines their significance for regulating modern sports legal relations. The legal nature of the UNIDROIT Principles as an act of «soft law», the features of their formation and their place in the system of sources of international contract regulation are analyzed. The role of the UNIDROIT Principles in ensuring the unity of legal approaches to the regulation of contractual relations arising in the field of professional sports and international sports cooperation is substantiated. The main provisions of the UNIDROIT Principles are analyzed, in particular the principle of freedom of contract, good faith, binding nature of the contract, the contra proferentem rule. The significance of these principles for ensuring the balance of interests of participants in sports legal relations, increasing legal certainty and effective regulation of contractual relations between athletes, clubs, federations, sponsors and other subjects of sports activity is revealed. Particular attention is paid to the prospects for the application of the UNIDROIT Principles in the field of sports law. The possibilities of using their provisions in interpreting the terms of sports contracts, overcoming gaps in national legislation, as well as in resolving disputes in the field of professional sports, taking into account international standards of contractual regulation, are explored.

Keywords : UNIDROIT Principles, International Contract Law, Sports Law, Soft Law, Sports Contracts, Legal Harmonization

Conference Name : International Conference on Sports Law Education, Policy, and Professional Training - (ICSLEPPT-26)

Conference Place : Nice , France

Conference Date : 17th Aug 2026