Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-124/21 P

PRESS RELEASE No 202/23 Luxembourg, 21 December 2023 Judgment of the Court in Case C-124/21 P | International Skating Union v Commission The rules of the International Skating Union on the prior authorisation of skating competitions infringe EU law They have the object of restricting competition to the detriment, in particular, of athletes, consumers and audiences Following the European Commission and the General Court, the Court of Justice confirms that the rules of the International Skating Union, which empower it to subject international skating competitions to its approval and to impose severe penalties on athletes who take part in unauthorised competitions, are unlawful because they are not subject to any guarantee ensuring that they are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate. They give the ISU a clear advantage over its competitors and have unfavourable effects for athletes as well as consumers and broadcast audiences. The International Skating Union (ISU) is the only international sports association recognised by the International Olympic Committee (‘the IOC’) in the field of figure skating and speed skating. It regulates, governs and promotes that sport on a worldwide basis. At the same time, it carries out an economic activity consisting of organising international competitions and exploiting the associated rights. According to the rules of the ISU, the organisation of international competitions require its prior...