Ben Van Rompuy, assistant professor of EU competition law, was an invited expert at the 23th Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum (LACCF) organised in Quito, Ecuador on 28-29 September 2023.
The LACCF is a partnership between the OECD and the International Development Bank. The Forum brings together high-level officials of Latin American and Caribbean competition authorities, competition officials from OECD countries, and international organisations. Joined by invited experts, participants debate key topics on the global competition agenda.
The agenda of the 2023 LACCF included two thematic sessions (on competition issues in the sports industry and on the role of competition policy for poverty reduction) and a peer review of the Dominican Republic's competition regime.
Ben Van Rompuy spoke on the session "Competition and Sports", introducing the first part on competition issues related to the organisation of professional sporting events.
After some general remarks about the application of competition law to sports governance, Van Rompuy discussed how most sports governing bodies - by assuming control and responsibility over their ecosystem - control access to the markets for the organisation of sports events. This governance function is legitimate, but may also cause conflicts of interest. Drawing parallels to the gatekeeping power of large online platforms, Van Rompuy highlighted the potential for anti-competitive foreclosure and how this risk could be remedied. The participants then engaged in a lively discussion, sharing their views and experiences.
Van Rompuy's presentation and all other 2023 LACCF materials can be found here.
