The CJEU Redefines the Boundaries of Sports Justice in Italy: Effective Judicial Protection After Joined Cases C-424/24 and C-425/24

CJEU, 16 July 2026, Joined Cases C-424/24 and C-425/24

Date of the decision: 2026-07-16

When Advocate General Spielmann delivered his Opinion in Joined Cases C-424/24 and C-425/24 in December 2025, many commentators questioned whether the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) would really challenge the autonomy traditionally enjoyed by the Italian sports justice system.^[1] The judgment delivered on 16 July 2026 confirms that those concerns were well founded. The CJEU has laid down principles that are likely to reshape the relationship between Italian sports tribunals and State courts whenever disciplinary sanctions imposed by sports bodies affect rights protected by EU Law, thereby placing the autonomy traditionally enjoyed by the Italian sports justice system under significant pressure. Analysis by Sefano La Porta and Luigi Primicerio.

To briefly recall the background that led the CJEU to rule on this matter, it is worth reviewing the current allocation of jurisdiction that, so far, has characterised Italy. Disputes of a disciplinary nature fall within the exclusive competence of the judicial bodies of sports federations and, in the final instance, of Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport established within the Italian Olympic Committee. State administrative courts may review the decisions of Collegio only indirectly, for the purpose of awarding damages, but have no power to annul...

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The CJEU Redefines the Boundaries of Sports Justice in Italy: Effective Judicial Protection After Joined Cases C-424/24 and C-425/24

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