Moroccan and South African lawyers elected to the Board of International Sports Lawyers Association

Moroccan lawyer Dr Iliass Segame and South African lawyer Ridwaan Boda have been elected to the Board of the International Sport Lawyers Association (ISLA) alongside peers from across six continents, as the Zurich-based organisation continues to expand its scope “to become a truly international organization”. 

At the annual general meeting in Berlin on 8 November, German sports lawyer and lecturer in sports law Ralf Bockstedte was elected the new President of ISLA, taking the baton from longstanding ISLA President Dr Anne Jakob, a German athlete turned sports lawyer who has been involved in ISLA since 2002, and President since 2019. 

A new Board was also elected for the 2025-2028 term, comprising: 

• Ridwaan Boda (South Africa), a Johannesburg-based sports lawyer who is head of ENSafrica's Technology, Media and Telecommunications law practise;

• Gabriel de Carvalho (Brazil), a sports lawyer specialising in anti-doping, arbitration, IP, player transfer arrangements, and sponsorship, among others;

• Astor Henriquez (Honduras), a professional footballer turned sports lawyer with several years experience in international and national sports law;

• Luis Núñez Martínez (Panama), a specialist in international sports law, corporate law, construction law, and arbitration. 

• Swagath Chanila Ramachandra (India/UK), an Indian lawyer currently practising at leading UK sports law and business practice Parmars; 

• Kajri Roy (India), a sports lawyer and a legal advisor to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI); 

• Ian Scott (Australia/Japan), a sports and brand lawyer who has acted for various International Sports Federations and major international events; and

• Dr Iliass Segame (Morocco), a sports lawyer, arbitrator, and partner at leading Casablanca-based firm Segame & Maalmi; 

Segame, who is also a FIFA & FA Licensed Football Agent, shared that he was “deeply honoured” to have been elected as a Board Member of the ISLA. 

“I’m excited to collaborate with an outstanding group of colleagues from across the globe! Together, we aim to strengthen ISLA’s impact in advancing sports law, promoting integrity and inclusivity, and supporting legal professionals in our field.”

Boda, who specialises in commercial aspects of sports transactions including broadcasting agreements, sponsorship arrangements, as well as assisting sports organisations with their strategy, development and procurement of sports technologies, and data privacy issues, was likewise delighted to be appointed to the ISLA Board of ISLA, and looking forward to serving the global sports community.

The elevation of many expert sports law voices from the Global South to the new ISLA Board is notable, given the organisation’s strong European roots, and stated desire to go beyond core European activities to become a truly global organisation. 

The election of Moroccan lawyer Dr Iliass Segame and South African lawyer Ridwaan Boda is also notable, given that many experts are anticipating that sports can play a strong role for the continent’s development in the coming years. 

Last year, Forbes reported the value of African sports is growing significantly, and could nearly double in value to more than $20 billion over the next decade. Former pro basketball player, Denver Nuggets GM and Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri, the first African-born general manager or president of a major North American professional sports franchise, believes “sports is the next big thing in Africa”. 

At its AGM in Berlin last week, as ISLA looked to the future with its new President and Board, it also honoured outgoing President Dr Anne Jakob, with the membership unanimously deciding to grant her the title of Honorary President.