Derains & Gharavi is one of the industry leaders in sports arbitration.

The firm acts as counsel to national and international federations, States bodies/institutions, athletes, clubs, leagues, agents, companies before CAS, ad-hoc, institutional arbitrations, disciplinary bodies and exceptionally on an advisory basis, in relation to a vast range of subjects including disciplinary sanctions, reattribution of awards and rankings, agency, employment agreements, sponsorship, tournament rights, broadcasting rights with emphasis on tennis and football.

The counsel practice is led by the firm’s co-founding partner, Hamid Gharavi, and benefits from his experience as arbitrator in 50 sports arbitrations including in the most high-profile disputes at CAS (CV of Hamid Gharavi) but also in other institutional arbitrations (ICSID Case No. ARB/24/15).

He was one of the 10 appointees to the CAS ad-hoc Division for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and has acted as President, Sole Arbitrator and co-arbitrator in landmark CAS arbitrations involving international federations, States, companies, clubs, athletes in relation in relation reallocation of prizes and awards during competitions, doping and State doping schemes, disciplinary sanctions, collective bans, match fixing, coaching, contractual violations, and agency fees in tennis, football and a large number of other sports. He has stepped down as of January 1, 2025 of the CAS list of arbitrators at CAS given the CAS prohibition on double hatting in order to put his extensive experience at the service exclusively of CAS counsel mandates in representation of athletes, clubs, federations, leagues, agents, and State bodies/entities.

Hamid Gharavi is the author of a book entitled “Mansour Bahrami – candid discussions led by Hamid Gharavi” with prefaces of legends Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe published in 2026 by Amphora and author of articles in this field (“There must be another way” in the sports special edition of BCDR International Review (Vol 9, Issue 1 (2022) and the Liber Amicorum in the honour of Yves Derains, Editions A. Pedone 2021).

He is also the founder, organizer and moderator of a yearly seminar of reference in the field of sports as well as of charitable sport events.

His co-founding partner Yves Derains has also extensive experience as counsel but also as arbitrator in sport-related arbitrations including in relation to sponsorships and broadcasting rights (For full list see the CV of Yves Derains). He was also, from 1990 to 2010, Permanent Member of the Contract Recognition Board (CRB) of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).