Akpokavie now ICAS arbitrator

The Secretary General of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Richard Akpokavie, has become the first Ghanaian to be appointed arbitrator on the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), the governing body of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Mr. Akpokavie, a lawyer by profession and also the president of the Ghana Hockey Association, is one of 24 new arbitrators and two new mediators whose appointments became effective on January 1, 2017.

A press release by ICAS dated January 17, 2017, stated that the new members could also be nominated to serve as arbitrator or mediator in CAS arbitrations or mediations.

The CAS was created in 1984 to provide dispute resolution services to the sports world. For over 30 years, it has settled disputes involving athletes, coaches, federations, sponsors, agents, clubs, leagues and organisers of sports events from almost every country in the world through arbitration and mediation procedures.

In 2016, the CAS registered over 600 arbitration procedures and 10 mediations-another record year.