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Jean-Louis DUPONT’s profile

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Jean-Louis DUPONT

European Union & Sports Lawyer at DUPONT-HISSEL

Jean-Louis Dupont is a prominent Belgian lawyer internationally recognized for his expertise in European law and sports law. He is best known as having started his career as the architect of the landmark "Bosman ruling" (CJEU, 1995), a case that fundamentally transformed European football by ending transfer fees for out-of-contract players and abolishing nationality quotas within the European Union. This decision had a profound impact on the structure of professional football, player mobility, and the commercial landscape of the sport.

Education and Early Career

Jean-Louis Dupont studied law at the Université de Liège and obtained a Master’s in European Law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He also completed an “Introduction to American Law” with the Columbia University. Early in his career, between 1990 and 1998, in parallel with his career as a lawyer, he worked for the European Commission, focusing on relations between the EU, Mexico and Cuba, which gave him a special taste for international economic issues.

Legal Practice and Major Cases

Jean-Louis Dupont has built a reputation as a leading figure in sports law, representing clubs, athletes, agents, commercial stakeholders and other organizations in high-profile disputes, particularly those involving EU law and the governance of international sports bodies. His most notable cases include:

  • Bosman Case: Led to the liberalization of the football transfer market in Europe.
  • Meca-Medina Case: Challenged anti-doping regulations under EU competition law.
  • Charleroi Case: on behalf of G-14, addressed club compensation by FIFA/UEFA for players injured on international duty.
  • Financial Fair Play (FFP) Challenges: Represented clients in legal actions against UEFA’s initial FFP regulations.
  • Third-Party Ownership (TPO): Represented Spanish, Portuguese football leagues and RFC Seraing against FIFA’s total ban on TPO.
  • European Super League: Acted for A22 Sports and clubs such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in the legal battle over the breakaway league project.
  • Lior Refaelov and Royal Antwerp FC against UEFA and the Belgian FA, which led to the CJEU "Royal Antwerp FC" judgement (21 December 2023), that questions the legality of the UEFA and Belgian FA “Home Grown Players” rules.
  • Diarra Case: represented Lassana Diarra in the case that led to the landmark CJUE judgement (4 October 2024) declaring the FIFA rules on termination of contracts contrary to EU competition law and free movement.
  • RFC Seraing against FIFA and the Belgian FA, which led to the CJEU “RFC Seraing” judgement (1 August 2025), in which the CJEU rules that arbitration awards issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS, Lausanne), resulting from “forced arbitration” imposed by national and international sport federations have no res judicata effect and no probatory force in the EU when EU public policy is at stake.
  • FIFPRO Europe v. FIFA: currently represents FIFPRO Europe in the Brussels Court of Commerce (requesting preliminary referral to the CJEU) in the dispute against FIFA regarding FIFA’s unilateral imposition of the global football calendar, including the FIFA Club World Cup.

He has also represented major clubs (such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, PSG, Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, Juventus, AC Milan, Liverpool, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce) and high-profile players, coaches, and athletes (including Zidane, Raul, Beckham, Gica Hagi, Adrian Mutu, Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini, José Mourinho, Michel Preud’Homme, Eric Gerets, professional cycling teams and riders, and many others) in numerous disputes against sports governing bodies.

Roles and Affiliations

Jean-Louis Dupont is a member of the Barcelona Bar and serves as "of counsel" at the Spanish law firm Roca Junyent, as well as being a partner at Dupont-Hissel, a firm specializing in sports and European law.

Legacy

Jean-Louis Dupont is widely regarded as a revolutionary figure in law (in particular EU law) applied to sport, with a career spanning over three decades and a track record of precedent-setting victories that have reshaped and still are reshaping the legal and economic framework of professional sports in Europe and even in the whole World.

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