Dr Paul Behrens gives talk on diplomacy in sports to Columbia Society of International Law
Tue 15 February 2022
Dr Paul Behrens, Reader in Law at the Edinburgh Law School and Professor Lori Damrosch of Columbia Law School, were recently invited by the Columbia Society of International Law to give talks on the topic 'The Law of Diplomacy in Sports: Boycott at the Winter Olympics'.
Dr Behrens' talk explored the charges of diplomatic interference that arose from the boycott of the Olympic Games in China by US government officials and discussed the scope of the relevant rule in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. It also examined interests that compete with the prohibition on interference and analysed ways of resolving the meeting of the relevant norms.
The talks, which took place via zoom on 8th February, were moderated by Professor Benjamin Liebman. On being invited to deliver this talk, Dr Behrens said: "This was a wonderful opportunity to address this fascinating topic in the law of diplomatic relations, and it was an honour to share a podium with Lori Damrosch and Benjamin Liebman. My sincere thanks the board of the CSIL for their kind invitation! Questions raised by charges of diplomatic interference are often overlooked, but the matter is topical and likely to remain of considerable significance in international relations."