For the first time in history, a dedicated tribunal is being established to investigate and prosecute the crime of aggression. Join us in this episode, as Dr Gabrielė Chlevickaitė, International Criminal Law researcher at the Asser Institute, interviews H.E. Dr Anton Korynevych, Ambassador -at-large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on establishing the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Should you wish to read more, the Asser Institute has also released a Report on the Special Tribunal, offering the first legal analysis of the 'Council of Europe model,' as well as broader legal and policy considerations.

In this episode, we reflect on international sports law and the governance of football. Joined by Dr. Antoine Duval, we discuss the complexities of the football transfer system, particularly considering historical shifts following two landmark judgements: the Bosman (European Court of Justice, 1995) and the Diarra (Court of Justice of the European Union, 2024) rulings.

How have these landmark rulings offered the possibility for the football transfer system to shift in favour of players? What even is a football transfer? And, more broadly, what legal and ethical issues arise around the ‘world's game' and football mega events like the upcoming 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia? In this episode, we discuss all of this and more.

Guest:

Dr Antoine Duval, Senior Researcher in International Law, TMC Asser Institute

Host and Editor:

Flora Bensadon, Research Trainee, TMC Asser Institute

Editor:

Dr Carl Lewis, Researcher in Public International Law, TMC Asser Institute

Further reading:

A Duval, 'Football at a Crossroads' (2024) Verfassungsblog

Bosman ruling (Case C415/93): Union royal belge des sociétés de football association ASBL, Royal club liégeois SA v Jean March Bosman and others and Union des associations européennes de football (UEFA) v Jean-Marc Bosman.

Diarra ruling (Case C-650/22): Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA) v BZ.

For further information, news and readings on questions of transnational sports law please visit the Asser International Sports Law Centre webpage.

In this episode, we reflect on how Dharmic traditions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, engaged with principles of humanity in warfare long before the codification of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with the Geneva Conventions. Joined by Dr. Robert Heinsch, Dr. Raj Balkaran, and Dr. Christina Kilby, we consider key IHL concepts such as collateral damage and proportionality, while reflecting on what ancient philosophies, theologies and laws can teach us about ethical warfare today. By reflecting on various historical roots and traditions of humanitarian principles, the episode seeks to encourage engagement with the evolution and applications of the laws of armed conflict. What role do the principles of humanity, distinction and proportionality play in the law of armed conflict? How does the element of storytelling in the Sanskrit epics contribute to the dissemination of ethical values? How has religion influenced International Humanitarian Law, specifically the implementation of humanitarian principles?

Guests:  

Dr. Robert Heinsch, Associate Professor in International Law at Leiden University

Dr. Raj Balkaran, Scholar of Sanskrit Narrative Literature, Public Intellectual, Online Educator

Dr. Christina Kilby, Associate Professor of Religion at James Madison University

Editors: 

Host - Dr Carl Lewis, Researcher in Public International Law, TMC Asser Institute 

Co-host - Wamika Sachdev, Intern, Asser Institute 

Flora Bensadon, Intern, Asser Institute