The Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency (AMADA) and BM Morrison Partners Law Firm (BM) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the athletes’ rights protection.
The MoU envisages provision of legal assistance by the BM to athletes under the jurisdiction of AMADA, whose cases have been initiated or are in process of hearing in the Anti-Doping Disciplinary or Appeals Committees.
The Law Firm will provide legal services to athletes on a pro bono basis. Experienced lawyers and barristers will be involved in all cases.
“The purpose of this memorandum is to strengthen the protection of human rights during the fight against doping in sport and the application of anti-doping rules, to simplify the access of athletes to justice and fair trial. These fundamental rights are reflected in the European Convention on Human Rights, the Council of Europe's Anti-Doping Convention and other international agreements covering the field of sports”, said Shafag Huseynli, AMADA’s CEO and Vice-Chair of Council of Europe’s Ad hoc group on Human Rights and Athletes, during the signing.
According to her, cooperation between anti-doping organizations and law firms in this form is new to the world of sport.
“This is a quite important event for us as for an independent law firm in Azerbaijan to be a part of such transparency and compliance processes. We are proud to contribute into this as a country's leading law firm. As a local law firm with a full UK capital, we would be happy to import the best positive British practice and experience into Azerbaijani context”, stated Dr Farhad Mirzayev, a Senior Partner of BM Morrison Partners law firm.
The Council of Europe’s Anti-Doping Convention was adopted in 1989, Azerbaijan signed the document in 2002.
BM Morrison Partners, founded in 1992, is the first law firm established in the Republic of Azerbaijan. BM is the first and only Azerbaijani law firm that has representative offices in foreign countries (UK, UAE and Russia). BM is a wide profile law firm with extensive experience in all areas of law.
