JAMES KITCHING
JAMES KITCHING
Senior Executive | Board Member | Tribunal Member
James Kitching is an experienced senior executive in the sports industry, specialising in governance, regulation, strategy, integrity, and education. His CV includes senior roles at FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, board memberships in sports federations and sports technology companies, and several sports tribunal appointments.He is an arbitrator on the general list and football list at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
James is based in Adelaide, Australia, and currently advises the global sports community on these matters through his consulting company, The FC.
James was previously Director of Football Regulatory at FIFA where he managed a multinational and multidisciplinary subdivision with 5 departments and approximately 60 staff, which oversaw all aspects of the FIFA football regulatory framework. James also spent 5 years at the Asian Football Confederation as Head of Sports Legal Services, where he helped modernise the sports and corporate regulatory framework, bidding processes for Asian competitions, and acted as secretariat to the AFC judicial bodies.
James is a regular lecturer and speaker at conferences, postgraduate and undergraduate courses, and webinars. He is available for media comment on all aspects of sport.
James is a proud member of the 39ers
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CONSULTING AND BOARD
MANAGING DIRECTOR
THE FC
DEPUTY CHAIR, COMMISSION
BASKETBALL SOUTH AUSTRALIA
MEMBER, SUPERVISORY BOARD
FIFA CLEARING HOUSE SAS
MEMBER, BOARD
SHOOTING AUSTRALIA
MEMBER, ADVISORY BOARD
FRONT OFFICE AI
MEMBER, EDITORIAL BOARD
LAW IN SPORT
MEMBER, SUPERVISORY BOARD
BOXING INDEPENDENT INTEGRITY UNIT
TRIBUNAL
ARBITRATOR
COURT OF ARBITRATION OF SPORT
CHAIR, NATIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION CHAMBER
FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA
CHAIR, INDEPENDENT HEARING PANEL
BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION
MEMBER, INTERNATIONAL PANEL
SPORT RESOLUTIONS
MEMBER, DISCIPLINARY PANEL
TENNIS AUSTRALIA
MEMBER, DISCIPLINARY PANEL
ESPORTS INTEGRITY COALITION
CURRENT
HIGHLIGHTS
Led implementation of the FIFA Clearing House
Led development of global regulatory framework for football agents
Advised and assisted clubs and leagues in more than 10 countries regarding the international transfer of players and coaches
Joint founder of Football Coaches Australia, the association representing licensed football coaches in Australia
Development of football regulatory response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Led introduction of the FIFA Football Tribunal
Delivered governance frameworks for new continental e-sports federation and regional football federation
Led investigations into or decided matters relating to match manipulation, corruption, doping, age fraud, passport fraud, child safeguarding, and Olympic selection
Strategic reviews of different sports organisations in several policy areas