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Madalina Diaconu

Dr. Madalina Diaconu

Ph.D in Law, LL.M. in European and International Economic Law, Master in Sports Management

Managing Partner 

mdiaconu@splc.ch

Ph.D in Law, LL.M. in European and International Economic Law, Master in Sports Management

A barrister and an academic, Dr. Madalina Diaconu is specialized in European and International Economic Law, with an emphasis on Sports Law, Gambling Law and Entertainment Law. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the legal practice and has worked for major international and Swiss organizations active in these areas.

As a barrister, she mainly practices commercial and contract law (including labor law), criminal law, immigration law and human rights.

Dr. Diaconu also appears regularly in front of sports tribunals, notably the FIFA Tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), etc..

In parallel to her activity at the bar, Madalina Diaconu is an Associate Professor at the University of Neuchâtel where she teaches Economic Law and Sport and the Integrity of Sports Organizations. She is also an invited professor at the Universities of Fribourg and Bucharest and has lectured at Columbia Law School (New York).

A specialist in Sports Integrity, Dr. Diaconu is also a member of the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (UEFA CEDB).

She was also an external consultant for the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law (ISDC) in Lausanne and for several Swiss and International organizations active in the fields of Sports, Games and Entertainment.

Preferred Practice Areas

  • Specialist in Sports Law & Gambling Law
  • Entertainment Law, with an emphasis on European Law aspects
  • Civil and Commercial Law; Contract Law
  • Administrative Law
  • Labour Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Human Rights

Professional associations

  • Barrister admitted to the Bars of Neuchâtel and Bucharest
  • Member of the Swiss Association for Sports Law (ASDS)
  • Swiss Society of Criminal Law (SSDP)

Other Interests, memberships

  • Associate Professor at the University of Neuchâtel – Sport Law and Economy. Invited professor at the Universities of Fribourg and Bucharest and to Columbia Law School (New York)
  • External expert for the Swiss Institue of Comparative Law (ISDC); Scientific collaborator at the Swiss Institute for Public Management (IDHEAP) in Lausanne (international public governance)
  • Formerly worked at the International Olympic Committee (Lausanne), the European Court of Justice (Luxemburg) and the Loterie Romande (Lausanne)

Personal information

Barrister in NE since: 2012
Languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian, Romanian

TVA: CHE-377.666.419 TVA

Monographs

  • Sports Case Law of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court (1980-2022)”, Ed. EgisLaw, 2023
  • “40 Commentaries of the Macolin Convention Against Competition Manipulation”, co-author with Surbhi Kuwelker, Ed. Helbling Liechtenhahn, 2024
  • “Essential Principles of Swiss Law Applied to Sports”, forthcoming, 2024
  • “Droit économique et sport. Aspects suisses et internationaux”, Helbing Liechtenhahn, Bâle, 2015 
  • “International Trade in Gambling Services”, Ed. Wolters Kluwer Law International, La Haye, Los Angeles, 2010, p. 273 

Articles and varia

  • Article: "Swiss Direct Democracy and the Hosting of the Olympic Games: A Long (and Complicated) Tale", à paraître dans E. Monnin, B. Lapérou-Schneider, L. Kontratuk (éds.), Droit et Olympisme, coll. Cahiers des études olympiques, Meolans-Revel, Ed. Désiris 
  • Article: How "Amicus Curiae" works at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, LawInSport, published December 9, 2022
  • Article: The Concept of "Manipulation" under the Macolin Convention (co-auteur avec A. Kuhn et S. Kuwelker), CausaSport no. 2/22, Septembre 2022
  • Article: What obligations do Clubs owe Players if suspending their contract for COVID-19? (FCSB v. Planic), LawInSport, 12/08/2022
  • Commentaire: CAS 2018/A/5800 Samir Arab v. UEFA, Award of 14 November 2018, in Yearbook of International Sports Arbitration 2018-2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/15757_2022_37
  • Article: Competition Manipulation in International Sports federations' regulations: A Legal Synopsis, co-auteur avec S. Kuwelkar et A. Kuhn, International Sports Law Journal, 07/03/2022
  • Conférence-débat: Petits arrangements entre athlètes, Café scientifique de l'Université de Neuchâtel, 23/03/2022
  • Conférence: : Liberté d'expression et la Règle 50 de la Charte Olympique, Les soirées Droit du Sport de l'ASDS, 02/11/2021 
  • Article: Succesiunea in timp a cluburilor sportive si problematica transmiterii palmaresului sportiv, in reglementarile si practica judiciara internationala,  Juridice.ro, 05/10/2021 
  • Colloque: Démocratie directe et Olympisme : l'expérience de la Suisse, Genèse de l'olympisme, principes et gouvernance, CRJFC Université du Franche-Comté, 24/09/2021
  • Article: The Court of Arbitration for Sport jurisprudence on matchfixing: a legal update, co-auteur avec S. Kuwelkar et A. Kuhn, International Sports Law Journal (2021), 17/03/2021
  • Conference: Human Rights in Sports : The Way Forward, World Law Forum, 10 July 2021
  • Article: Access to Justice for Survivors of (Sexual) Harassment and Abuse in Sports, LawInSport, 26/01/2021
  • “Match-fixing, the Macolin Convention and Swiss law: An Overview”, Jusletter 16 septembre 2019 (co-auteur avec le Prof. André Kuhn)
  • Conférence “The European Response to Match-fixing: A Legal Update”, 9 octobre 2018, Columbia Law School (New York)
  • Contribution et coordination de l’étude “Model Criminal Law Provisions for the Prosecution of Competition Manipulation”, UNODC-IOC, 2016/2017
  • “Criminal Sanctions for Match-Fixing: What’s New in the World?”, Jusletter 23 mai 2016
  • “Jeux hors-la-loi ou loi hors-jeu ? », Conférence au Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de Neuchâtel, avril 2014
  • “La bonne gouvernance institutionnelle dans le sport : état des lieux, enjeux et perspectives”, à paraître, Mélanges en l’honneur du professeur Denis Oswald, 2012
  • “Betting, Sport and Integrity: Past, Present and Future from a lawyer’s perspective”, International Review on Sport and Violence, printemps 2012
  • “Le financement du sport par les paris sportifs : un essai de typologie”, in : Jusletter 16. 07.2012
  • “Cheating to win / Cheating to loose: Structural responses to match fixing. Lessons learned in the fight against doping”, communication lors d’une conference avec Jean-Patrick Villeneuve et Jean-Loup Chappelet; à paraître, International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 2012
  • “Citius, Altius, Ingeniosius?: Of Sports, Mind Games and Poker”, avec Alexandra Veuthey, Causa Sport no. 1/2012
  • “Poker, hasard ou adresse: les jeux (ne) sont (pas) faits”, avec Alexandra Veuthey, Jusletter, Avril 2012
  • “Sport Betting and the Governance of Sport”, communication lors de la 8e conférence européenne d’études du jeu, European Association for the Study of Gambling, Vienne, septembre 2011
  • “A quand une agence mondiale anti-corruption ?”, avec Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, Le Temps, édition du 28 octobre 2010, p.17
  • “Integrating Gambling in the Governance of Sport. Financial Opportunities and Ethical Challenges”, avec Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, communication lors de la Conférence Sport & EU, Gand, juillet 2010, publiée dans la Sport&EU Review, 1/2010
  • “Dynamiques suisses et internationales dans le domaine des paris sportifs”, Working paper IDHEAP, 2010
  • “The ‘Bolkestein directive’ and the attempted harmonisation of games of chance: skates and perspectives”, in “L’harmonisation internationale du droit” – Chappuis Christine; Kadner Graziano Thomas; Foëx Bénédict (éds.), Genève, Schulthess Verlag, 2007
  • “The Implications of European Law on the Financing of National Sport Organisations”, mémoire de master et communication lors de la 33e Assemblée générale des comités olympiques européens, Dubrovnik, décembre 2004
  • “The Baltic Olympic Committees – Typology, Challenges and Development Opportunities within the European Union”, 77 p., publications du Comité International Olympique, 2004
  • “La liberté d’expression et la censure – un exercice de droit comparé”, Revue Politeia, no.9, Bordeaux, 2006
  • “Le principe de la non-rétroactivité de la loi en droit européen”, les Annales de l’Université de Bucarest, 2005
  • “Les modifications de la Constitution roumaine en vue de l’adhésion à l’Union européenne”, Revue Politeia no.5, Bordeaux, 2004
  • “L’effectivité de la norme constitutionnelle”, Revue Politeia no.4, Bordeaux, 2003
  • “La protection des minorités linguistiques par leur Etat-parent – Une comparaison”, Revue Politeia no.2, Bordeaux, 2002