We can speak English

We work directly with you or in synchronization with the people who advise you (your closed ones, your agent or your management agency, your usual legal counsel, etc.). You are fully dedicated to your sport; we manage and solve your administrative and legal challenges.

We also offer support to the parents of young athletes throughout their top performance level sports careers.

We can advise you in the negotiation and drafting of any types of contracts (labor contract, sponsorship agreements, contracts relating to the participation to sports events, etc.), in relation to your tax obligations, the management of your image rights, etc.

We can be your authorized representative, as a French “mandataire sportif” officially designated as such to the Bar Association. Within those boundaries, our mission is to connect you with a club or with a sports organization and to negotiate and close a contract in your name.

In case of litigations or disputes, we will defend you before French or international jurisdictions: labor courts (labor contract), civil and commercial courts, administrative jurisdictions (appeals from sports federations), federal, national and international authorities (FIFA, FIBA, and others), international jurisdictions (WADA, CAS).

We can work with you or your representatives regarding any activities you may have in relation to France.

We can advise you in transfer negotiations with French clubs, in relation to the loan of an athlete, as part of negotiations with athletes or their agents, in relation to training compensation and solidarity mechanism relating to articles 20 and 21 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, etc.

We can be your authorized representative, as a French “mandataire sportif” officially designated as such to the Bar Association. Within those boundaries, our mission is to connect you with an athlete, a coach and to negotiate and close a contract in your name with said athlete or coach.

We can defend you in any legal proceedings before French jurisdictions.

We can work with you as regards any activities you may have in relation to France.

We can advise you on any legal topics during negotiations with French clubs and can support you in relation to your activities in France.

We can act as your authorized representative, as a French “mandataire sportif” officially designated as such to the Bar Association.

We can defend you as well as your clients in relation to any disputes before French courts or federal jurisdictions.

We support sports and e-sports companies and investors, sports events organizers as part of their activities in France.

We can advise you in the negotiation and the drafting of your commercial contracts, such as sponsorship agreements, but also in the creation of commercial structures fulfilling your ambitions. We can support you in the organization of sports events in France to make sure that you are compliant with French law.

We can defend you in relation to any disputes relating to civil, commercial, or criminal business law before any French jurisdictions.

We can work with you as regards your activities relating to France.

We can collaborate with you on any legal topics relating to sporting activities in France, as well as regards any dispute concerning one of your clients before French jurisdictions or federal authorities.

We are authorized to act in all state jurisdictions: labor courts (labor contract), civil and commercial jurisdictions, administrative jurisdictions (appeal from federation decisions). We are also acting before French and international federal authorities.

An athlete’s image is a major challenge in his/her professional life.

It impacts the athlete’s career on several levels:

• In relation to the athlete’s club or sports events organizers.
• In relation to the federation of which the athlete is a member and which takes these aspects into account as part of its selection process.
• In relation to the athlete’s sponsors and other partners.

For some athletes, the stream of revenue relating to their image rights has become increasingly significant.

Some athletes with substantial media exposure can generate revenue streams relating to their image rights which are above revenues directly resulting from their sporting activity.

« Reputation, a key topic »

For athletes with less media exposure, or evolving in a discipline that has less coverage, proper management of their image can allow them to benefit from funding or from the supply of materials that will enable them to focus on their sport.

BGSL advises athletes in the management of their sponsorship contracts and can negotiate agreements in their name with brands who wish to associate their image to the athlete’s image.

« Without proper management, reputation amounts to nothing »

BGSL proposes awareness-raising workshops to understand the challenges and consequences relating to an athlete’s communication.

The current trend for sponsors, associations, clubs and federations is to be particularly careful on such matters and to sometimes draw radical consequences when an athlete lies at the heart of a controversy as a result of inappropriate behaviors or comments.

In particular, the use of social media shows that when communication is not properly managed, it can rapidly overwhelm its author and have a lasting impact on the athlete’s reputation and image, on top of potentially exposing the athlete to legal proceedings.

In such circumstances, we can advise and support you to manage this situation, and if necessary, to implement crisis communication in relation to your forms of communication, your speeches, and the drafting of press releases, etc.

BGSL wishes to be at its client’s side during good times, victories, and trophy ceremonies. However, it is mostly in difficult times that the athlete needs us.

In reaction to events which may unsettle you or your environment, our law firm can implement a strategy and actions allowing you to protect yourself and to evolve again in a more serene setting.

We can support you in managing public speeches.

We both have been elected « Secrétaires de la Conférence » (which is the greatest distinction available for such an event) by our Bar Association in 2007 and 2009 as a result of an eloquence contest.

We also train, on a regular basis, future lawyers, at the Bar School of the Paris Court of Appeals (“Ecole de Formation des Barreaux de la Cour d’appel de Paris”), precisely on how to manage public speaking.

It is this experience that we can offer you based on your needs.

The contracts that an athlete comes across with during his career systematically contain sections on the image rights and their use. Therefore, the young athlete must, at a very early stage, become aware of the importance of properly managing his/her image and communication.

The athlete needs, with the help of his/her parents and of a reliable entourage, to make him/herself known positively, to display an image that matches ethical requirements which are becoming ever more present in top performance sports. A good balance allows the young professional athlete to be in harmony with his/her personality and aspirations.

For the youngest, in the world of professional sports as well as outside, social media and digital communication has become a key challenge.

Bing able to use social media and having the appropriate social media level of awareness can allow you to avoid negative consequences, which can sometimes result in disciplinary or legal proceedings.

It is therefore important for parents to engage, at the right time, in careful reflection to start laying down the foundations for a proper use of social media and enable their child to build his/her future reputation.

We can support you in relation to these interrogations and challenges.

Nowadays, promoted at every single level (training academies, clubs, federations, etc.), the implementation of a double project has become an indispensable reality for young athletes.

Uncertainties relating to the professionalization of young athletes require that they benefit from a minimum formation matching their abilities and aspirations.

When young athletes and their parents question themselves around these topics, they can use our services to analyze their situation precisely and be guided in their reflection to make the most appropriate choices.

Many athletes want to invest in associative and charitable projects to have their favorite club, their city or country of origin, or any cause that has their attention, benefit from their reputation and success.

This sometimes requires the creation of an ad hoc association, joining an existing association, getting involved into a project, etc.

It is then necessary to anticipate the consequences of such an involvement, and its repercussions on other commitments an athlete may have with his/her club, sponsors, etc.

BGSL can guide you and advise you on all the challenges and the consequences relating to such projects.

An athlete’s career is short, and this reality requires a reflection around a « post career »transition and to prepare for it.

This preparation can take place through investments or even through the involvement into a project.

It is sometimes about remaining in their field of activity and creating a brand, through the involvement into a sports project (direction, management, coaching, etc.).

At other times, it is about investing and getting involved into another passion, or simply about making choices considering the state of the economy at a given time.

This requires analyzing offers and to be supported by other professionals to balance pros and cons in relation to a given project.

« Post career transition needs to be taken care of now »

Another key aspect resides in the choice of undertaking specific training together with upstream reflection in relation to a particular project. Numerous studies have shown that an athlete undertaking specific training in parallel of his/her sports activities is more performant because he/she feels more fulfilled.

We can, upon your request, guide you through the range of training options that you have to pick the one matching your needs in terms of availability, investment, and skills to acquire.

An option that is too often ignored also enables top performance athletes to take advantage of their career and to obtain academic degrees or titles thanks to the “Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience” (VAE, which could be translated by Experience Acquired Validation)

These topics require a reflection and an analysis in which we can support you based on your needs.

If the preparation of his/her post career transition can encourage an athlete to start thinking about financial investments, it can also simply be about properly managing his/her assets.

Athletes often have proposals and are even sometimes strongly encouraged to participate in various types of investments without receiving proper advice, and sometimes without receiving sufficient guarantees.

There are many options and investment vehicles: real-estate investments, financial, acquisition of an interest in a company, a sports or e-sports project, a racehorse, etc.

Considering all the options that you may have, we can advise you and be at your side to determine the best options for you and help you in your decision-making.

How to optimize the management of his/her revenues, is a question that an athlete comes across with at the very early stages of his/her career.

It is best to be advised by professionals having the required ethical standards and expertise in their field in order to make informed decisions. We can connect you with the right persons or help you select those who will best match your expectations.

More than just putting you in touch with someone, BGSL’s level of involvement can go much beyond on topics such as these, and can, based on your decision, go up to representing you in your relations with these professionals.