Mental distress of an athlete is a justified reason for refusing to compete

In a disciplinary proceeding before one of the national sports federations, we represented an athlete who allegedly unjustifiably refused to participate in an international competition for which he was designated by the sports federation. The crucial question was whether the athlete could justifiably decline to compete due to the mental distress caused by the coach's verbal abuse. In line with modern trends from the practice of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), we demonstrated that verbal abuse constitutes an unacceptable violation of the protected category of an athlete's dignity, which also justifies the refusal to compete. As a result, the disciplinary authority stopped the proceedings against the athlete. We are pleased to contribute to shaping a practice that protects the personal rights of athletes.