Competitions and Courses

2025 Sports Law Student Writing Competition Winners

The Sports Law Institute and Learning Center (Sports Law ILC) congratulates the winners of the 2025 Sports Law Student Writing Competition. It was a great roster of well-written papers which will definitely push Philippine sports law forward.

First Place (P20,000.00) 

Gianne Kalalo, Ateneo Law School; Changing the Narrative: A Critical Analysis of Sports Washing in the Philippines

Gianne’s first place paper explores the mechanism and consequences of sportswashing through the lens of forced displacement, environmental degradation, and labor exploitation. The paper identifies gaps in both Philippine law and implementation, concluding with calls for legal and institutional reforms to align Philippine sports practices with principles of transparency, accountability, and sustainability.

Second Place (P10,000.00)

David Casuela, Ateneo Law School; From Barangay Courts to Olympic Gold: Examining the Role of Local Governments in the Development of Philippine Sports and Providing Policy Recommendations for LGUs

 David’s second place paper gives a deep dive on the Local Government Code, particularly the provisions which empower local governments to institutionalize youth leagues, incentivize student-athletes, and build sports infrastructure. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to strengthen local sports bodies, and adopt evidence-based policy designs.

 Joaquin Luis Mayo, UP Law; Regulating Athlete Agents in the Philippines: Bridging the Gap in Representation Ethics and Accountability

 Joaquin’s second place paper argues for a comprehensive regulatory framework for sports agents. The paper finds the current legal landscape for sports agents lacking and provides solid and practical recommendations to regulate athlete agents through licensing, oversight, and accountability.

Third Place (P5,000.00)

Patrisha Aguas, Ateneo Law School: When Fair Play Isn’t Fair: The Dilemma of Anti-Doping for Paralympians

 Patrisha critiques the systemic flaws in the anti-doping regulations that disproportionately impact Paralympic athletics, pointing to the rigid enforcement of the rules and challenges of securing Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE). Using the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the paper advocates for a more inclusive and equitable anti-doping system.

Congratulations again to the winners! These papers can soon be accessed in the Sports Law ILC Research Hub. We look forward to the next batch of papers for the 2026 Sports Law Student Writing Competition. Mechanics and submission guidelines will be out on 30 January 2026.