Today began the AIAF 7th Congress, which commenced with welcome speeches from the Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, the AIAF President Patricia Moyersoen, Sport Makers Founder and International Lawyer Mr. Nasr Eldin Azzam and the Director of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration Dr. Ismail Selim. Then, the round tables started with the participation of a lot of respected figures and leaders in the highest international football institutions, where they discussed the most important and current problems in football.

The speakers that took part in the round tables are Anthony Baffore “CAF Deputy Secretary General”, Mario Gallavotti “Fifa Director of Independent Committees”, Moustafa Abdullah “CAF Chief Compliance Officer”, Omar Ongaro “Football Regulatory Director at Fifa”, Achta Saleh “Director of Legal Affairs at CAF’’, Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud “Senior Legal Counsel at FIFPro” and much more.

Cairo will host the annual AIAF Congress under the patronage of Dr. Ashram Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sport and in partnership with the African Football Confederation (CAF) and the Cairo Regional Centre for International Arbitration (CRCICA) the International Sports Court branch in Egypt and Africa, and with the participation of FIFA and the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES).

The 2019 AIAF Annual Congress will include eight panels focusing on the latest updates regarding FIFA reform packages, which includes landmark reforms on the FIFA transfer system and intermediaries’ regulations, and the selling and protection of broadcasting rights at the international and regional level.

Our legal team represented the Iraqi Player Mr. Fahad Talib Raheem before the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Malaysia as he was provisionally suspended after testing positive for “Sibutramine” substance. Our team succeeded in reducing the suspension from 4 years to 4 months after attending a hearing before the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee to explain the player’s situation and submitting all legal and medical evidence regarding his situation.

As a part of Sport Makers’ sports development efforts, it has organized a football swiss coaching course for coaches interested in improving and updating their training methods. The course was conducted by FC Zurich former Technical Director and Fifa expert on grassroots development Coach Marco Bernet.

Nasr Azzam, Co-founder, Sport Makers signed a partnership agreement with Patricia Moyersoen, president of the International Association of Sports Lawyers (AIAF) to host its 7th annual congress for the first time in Cairo, Egypt and in Africa. The congress will gather lawyers and leaders from the highest international football institutions in order to discuss and exchange views on football law.

After Egyptian Beach Football Player Mr. Hassane Hussein Mohamed was provisionally suspended for testing positive for the prohibited substance “Betamethasone”, our team of lawyers represented him. And after attending a hearing on the 24th of March 2019 before the CAF Disciplinary Board, our legal team submitted all legal and medical documents as evidence approved by the Doctor of the Egyptian Football Team. And finally reduced the period of suspension from 4 years to 3 months.

Sport Makers team has represented Paralympics champion Mrs. Nadia Fakery before the Egyptian National Anti-Doping Organization (EGY-NADO), who was accused of taking “Ractopamine” substance. The player was sanctioned by EGY-NADO for four years and was banned from participating in any sporting activity. Hereby, Sport Makers team submitted an appeal for the player to challenge the decision, and successfully proved that the player had no intention to take the substance and that it was actually a contaminated product. Consequently, the EGY-NADO was satisfied with what Sport Makers lawyers’ team submitted and rendered the decision to reduce the sanction to 2 years as a mitigation sanction.

On the grounds of fans behavior and the violations committed during their match against Club African of Tunisia, the Egyptian Club Ismaily SC was eliminated from the CAF champion’s league 2018/2019 season. Our legal team represented the Ismaily SC in its appeal and attended the hearing dated 10th of February 2019 before the appeal board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to explain the legal situation of the club and finally, the CAF Appeal Board upheld the appeal and decided to reintegrate the club to the CAF champions league 2018/2019 season.

At last the official grand opening of Cairo City came about last Friday in the presence of Sport Makers founders, Sports Academy Zurich’s founder and Cairo City’s partner Rene Furrer and also the head coach of Zamalek SC Christian Gross.
The day started with speeches given by Cairo City’s managing directors and special guests Taha Diaey, Rene Furrer and Christian Gross. Following the speeches, the training session began under the supervision of Rene Furrer & Christian Gross. Then, the event ended with taking photos with our special guests and with an honoring ceremony for them.

The U20 national team and Petrojet first team player Ziad yasser is currently in Switzerland for a trial period with FC Zurich. Through our network and connections in Switzerland and Ziad’s abilities, we were able to come to an agreement for a trial period with the Swiss Cup Champions.

Powered by Sport Makers & partnered with Sport Academy Zurich, Cairo City welcomed its new young athletes, where it offers them an excellent Swiss program to develop their talents through education and equipping them with the adequate tools for an opportunity to play abroad.

It’s official! We are proud and excited to announce the collaboration with Sport Academy Zurich and Sport Makers

Sport Academy Zürich is a professional sports and education institution at the highest level, which aims to develop professional football players, with highly established training programs, through their cooperation with both FC Zürich and KV Zürich Business School. Sport Academy Zürich also has a broad network with the most prestigious clubs in Central Europe which serves as a portal for young athletes with the high potential to succeed in elite football.

Through this exciting collaboration, Sport Makers will be able to give unique opportunities for some of the finest talents in the country, and further enhance the company’s ambitious Sports Development sector. From scouting potential stars, developing their abilities through special programs and training camps, and managing their careers – Sport Makers are aiming to change the way athlete management has been done around the country and the region.

We were honored to represent Al-Hilal El-Obied Football Club of Sudan before CAF, and defend the club’s right to be reinstated in CAF Confederation Cup 2017.

We would like to congratulate the club and its fans after CAF uphold our appeal and decided officially to reinstate the club again in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Nasr Azzam, Head of Sport Law Module at The CU FIFA CIES Executive Certificate in Sports Management attend to Seminar for the Heads of the Law Module at FIFA/CIES international university network in Kozminski University in Poland.

Under the leadership of Kozminski University Rector Witold Bielecki, CIES President Pierre Cornu and Dariusz Pekalowski, “Sales & Business Development Director” at PGE Narodowy Stadium, the seminar allowed the representatives of the 16 partner universities of the FIFA/CIES Network to evaluate the situation regarding the teaching of sports law, one of the six modules making up the FIFA/CIES Executive Programme in Sports Management.

Nasr and his Colleagues made several suggestions supporting the development of the teaching of law within the FIFA/CIES Network and put forward ideas to foster dynamic academic relations within the network.

Nasr Azzam and Taha Diaey participate in final projects for CU FIFA CIES Executive Certificate in Cairo University.

Nasr and Taha as heads of sports law and event management modules evaluate the students and graduation projects submitted by them.

Nasr Azzam, head of sports law and member of the International Federation of Football lawyers arrived at Wembley stadium to attend International conference of players’ contracts, scheduled to start on 12th- 13th of October.

Nasr Azzam head of legal of Sport Makers and member of the International Federation of Football lawyers attending to the general assembly meeting of the International Association for Football Lawyers (AIAF) in Paris.

The GA meeting elected new members in the board and discuss Sports Law Matters.

Nasr Azzam head of legal of Sport Makers and Lecturer & Head of Sport Law Module at The Cairo University/FIFA/CIES Executive Certificate in Sports Management at the invitation of Youth and Sports Committee in the Egyptian Parliament to discuss the new sports law in the presence of deputies, Dr. Hassan Mustafa, Chairman of the International Handball Federation, President and members of the board of the Egyptian Olympic Committee.

Nasr said I hope that the new law issued after a good review and take all the notes and standards and international experiences in mind for helps Egyptian sports evolution in real and avoid conflict with international regulations and we do not need to amend the law again soon.

Taha Diaey, Managing Director of Sport Makers received an invitation from PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. to visit Doha the Sports Investment Opportunities Forum in Qatar.
The Sports Investment Opportunities Forum in Qatar discussed its government’s strategic plan for supporting national companies in Qatar and activation of international partnerships for the development of Qatari companies working in the sports industry.

Nasr Azzam, head of legal of Sport Makers and member of the International Federation of Football lawyers arrived at Mexico to attend the FIFA Congress, scheduled to start on 12th- 13th of May.
Azzam was chosen by FIFA to perform as observer in the FIFA Congress in Mexico City.