Sports, with it's various branches such as football, basketball, volleyball, and tennis, captivates millions of people and has evolved beyond mere entertainment and competition to become a multi-billion dollar global industry. The sports sector provides employment to millions and holds significant importance in the social fabric. The operation and regulation of this complex structure are governed by a specialized branch of law known as Sports Law.

Sports Law encompasses a broad spectrum and includes not only athletes and competitions but also all commercial and administrative aspects of sports. The fundamental topics of Sports Law can be examined under the following headings:

This category covers the rules regarding the establishment, management, and activities of sports organizations such as sports clubs, federations, confederations and leagues. It includes regulations concerning the legal personalities, organs, membership conditions, elections, financial transactions and disciplinary sanctions of sports organizations established under the associations law, foundations law and special laws.

Regulations on the terms and conditions of contracts between athletes and clubs, transfer rules, termination of contracts, compensation liabilities, doping and fair play are addressed in this category. Athlete contracts are subject to the general provisions of the Code of Obligations but also include special conditions arising from the unique nature of sports. These special conditions are determined by the regulations of national and international sports federations such as FIFA, UEFA and the Turkish Football Federation.

The special courts established for resolving disputes arising from sports competitions and the operation of these courts fall under sports arbitration. Sports arbitration bodies are divided into national and international categories. In Turkey, national sports arbitration bodies are formed by the Turkish Sports Arbitration Board (TSTK), while international sports arbitration bodies are formed by organizations like the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

This category covers regulations related to broadcasting rights of sports competitions, sponsorship agreements and the personal rights of athletes. Sports and media relations encompass various fields of law, including intellectual property law, personal rights law and commercial law.

Sanctions related to crimes such as violence, doping and forgery in sports competitions are evaluated under sports and criminal law. Crimes committed during sports competitions are subject to the general provisions of the Turkish Penal Code. However, there are also regulations in special laws for certain crimes such as doping and violence in sports competitions.

A professional football player contract is an employment contract between a player and a football club wherein the player commits to playing football for the club for a specified period and the club commits to providing the player with a certain salary and other benefits during this period. This contract is subject to the general provisions of the Code of Obligations, but also includes special conditions arising from the unique nature of sports. These special conditions are determined by the regulations of FIFA, UEFA, and the Turkish Football Federation.

The essential elements of professional football player contracts can be listed as follows:

Professional football player contracts can be concluded for a fixed term or an indefinite term. For fixed-term contracts, the start and end dates must be clearly stated. Indefinite-term contracts can be terminated by written notice from either party.

The salary that the player will receive must be clearly specified in the professional football player contract. The salary may consist of a fixed salary, match fees, bonuses and other components.

The conditions required for the player to transfer to another club must be determined in the professional football player contract. These conditions may include the transfer fee, termination conditions and the requirement for the club's prior consent.

The professional football player contract should include the disciplinary rules that the player must adhere to and the sanctions that will be applied in case of non-compliance with these rules.

The professional football player contract may also include provisions regarding insurance, health services, accommodation and travel.

A professional football player contract can be terminated by the player or the club under certain conditions. These conditions can be listed as follows:

A professional football player contract can be terminated in the presence of certain legal reasons. These legal reasons may include the player's injury, doping, violation of disciplinary rules, the club's financial difficulties and the club's relegation from the league.

Fixed-term professional football player contracts expire at the end of the contract period. Indefinite-term professional football player contracts can be terminated by written notice from either party.