Olga Kostyshyna Discusses Sports Brand Protection at SPORT & IP Forum
On 23 April 2026, Olga Kostyshyna, Counsel and Head of the International Arbitration Practice at LCF Law Group, and Chair of the Sports Law Committee of the Ukrainian Bar Association, spoke at SPORT & IP Forum on the topic “How to Protect a Sports Brand Beyond Just Paper.”
The event brought together representatives of the sports industry, lawyers, and intellectual property professionals.
In her presentation, Olga emphasised that effective sports brand protection begins not at the moment of a dispute, but at the contract drafting stage, when the conditions that determine future control over rights are established. Engaging a lawyer during negotiations with federations or advertisers is therefore not an option, but a necessity.
The discussion covered the following topics:
- the importance of properly drafted dispute clauses
- the choice between state courts and arbitration, and how it affects the outcome of a dispute
- the role of international sports institutions in conflict resolution
- practical aspects of rights protection in cross-border disputes.
In modern sport, a brand is a fully fledged asset, and like any asset, it requires competent legal support. Errors in contract structure often prove far more costly than resolving the dispute itself.
Other news
