Le Dernier Chapitre: the FIFA Master 22nd edition arrives in Neuchâtel

The final chapter of the FIFA Master 22nd edition commenced on the picturesque shores of Lake Neuchâtel. A short journey through the snowy Swiss Alps brought a welcome change of pace for our class as we transitioned from the vibrant and social Milanese streets to the peaceful surroundings of Neuchâtel.

Arriving through the vineyard-scattered hills of the Canton of Neuchâtel, the class was welcomed to stunning views of Lake Neuchatel upon arrival. We enjoyed a wholesale cultural shift; transitioning from speaking Italian to French; canals to lakes; osterias to brasseries; pizza to crepes; espresso to lattes, and of course, Euro to Swiss Francs! Our classmates adjusted quickly and settled in swiftly to their newest country of residence, ready for the first day of class as we began our Sports Law module studies.

We were warmly welcomed to the beautiful lakeside campus of the Université de Neuchâtel. Within the stunning architectural marvel of UniNe’s master building is a series of plaques, busts and statues of the famous high-achievers that have walked its hallowed halls. Within the classroom, we were pleasantly introduced to CIES General Secretary Vincent Schatzmann and our module coordinator Marcin Radziwonka, whilst reacquainting ourselves with familiar friendly faces of Prof. Denis Oswald, Kevin Tallec Marston, Lara Benassi and Alessandro Pellicciotta. The reunion of classmates and coordinators was celebrated modestly over aperitivo at Bar du Cerf in the historic centre of Neuchâtel town.

Lessons started at full velocity with Prof. Oswald and Prof. Thomas Probst, immersing our class in global sports law at its beating heart - Switzerland. Home to many of world sport’s governing bodies, we swiftly recognised the importance of the Swiss Civil Code and its fundamental principles that significantly shape the worldwide governance of sport. This was perfectly complemented with a series of highly-experienced guest speakers from the International Ice Hockey Federation, FIFPRO, the World League Forum, European Leagues and the European Clubs Association (ECA).

Our most pertinent topic in class so far has focused on the good governance of sport. As students, we were privileged to receive invaluable classes from the upper management of global leaders in sports governance, such as FIFA, UEFA, Association of Summer Olympics International Federation (ASOIF), Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS) and in-house counsel of FC Barcelona. It was an incredible learning experience to debate world sport’s greatest legal challenges with some of its industry’s brightest legal minds. The students of the 22nd edition deeply thank FIFA’s Emilio Garcia, ASOIF’s James Carr, Wouter Lambrecht, and UEFA’s Danilo Facchinetti, Ales Zavrl, Philippe Rasmussen, and Nicholas Beazley for the opportunity to exchange ideas and thoughts.

Following our first exam mid-month, we travelled to the picturesque town of Aigle to visit Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) at the foot of the Swiss Alps. Here, we had the opportunity to attempt BMX and Velodrome track Cycling at the global headquarters of cycling, even with a few of us learning to use a bike for the first time! It was a memorable experience ahead of some riveting presentations from UCI’s management on the leadership of the sport in a global context. We thank all the staff at the organisation for graciously welcoming us to their headquarters.

Overall, it has been a happy and successful move for the 22nd edition to Switzerland. The class now looks forward to savouring the last few months of the programme, which has been one of the most enriching experiences of our professional and personal lives.

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).