The Institute aims to encompass scientific research and professional work in three areas: sports law, sports policy, and sports diplomacy. This emphasizes its uniqueness globally, as there’s no other academic unit covering these three areas of interest. The Institute primarily conducts scientific research and professional projects, produces scientific and professional expertise, organizes scientific and professional conferences, roundtable discussions, and science popularization activities. It also organizes and conducts lifelong learning programs such as summer and/or winter schools and professional development programs, collaborates with public bodies, businesses, and the non-profit sector, and participates in sports arbitration and mediation procedures. The Head of the Institute is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vanja Smokvina.
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Lecture held at the prestigious SBS program, 25-11-2025
On 25-11-2025. Assoc. Prof. Vanja Smokvina held an invited lecture at the prestigious graduate program in sports management – Master SBS in Treviso (Italy). This is a program jointly launched by Verde Sport (Benetton Group) and Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia. The lecture was on the topic of EU Sports Law with an emphasis on athletes’…
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The final workshop was held on the social status of athletes in Olympic sports
On Thursday, 30 October 2025, a workshop on the social status of athletes in Olympic sports was held at the headquarters of the Croatian Volleyball Federation in Zagreb. The workshop was organised by the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law and its Institute for Sports Law, Sports Policies and Sports Diplomacy – the head of…
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Vol. 3, No. 1 of the e-journal Sports Law, Policy & Diplomacy Journal published
In September 2025, a new issue of the e-journal Sports Law, Policy & Diplomacy Journal was published. In vol. 3, no. 1, a total of 5 papers of the following authors and titles have been published: This e-journal is published by our Faculty, through the Institute of Sports Law, Sports Policies and Sports Diplomacy and…
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Faculty of Law in Rijeka hosted the 1st session of the UEFA Football Law Program
In the week of 22-26 September 2025, the Faculty of Law in Rijeka hosted the first session of the sixth edition of the UEFA Football Law Programme, which was held in Zagreb. The session was led by Assoc. Prof. Vanja Smokvina, as the session director and member of the scientific board of the programme. The…
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8th Rijeka Sports Law, Sports Policy and Sports Diplomacy Days Held
From 4 to 8 July 2025, the 8th edition of the Rijeka Sports Law, Sports Policy and Sports Diplomacy Dayswas held at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law. On Friday, 4 July 2025, the Jean Monnet International Conference was held, which was opened with welcoming speeches by: Interim Vice-Rector for Studies, Students, and QA…
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A new book on The European Model of Sport published
The book The European Model of Sport – Myth or Reality? was published by the prestigious international publisher Routledge (Taylor&Francis) at the end of June 2025. The editors of the book are Dr. Borja Garcia (Loughborough University, UK) and Assoc. Prof. dr. Vanja Smokvina, from our Faculty.The book is the result of work within the…