![SMU undergraduates Samantha Chong Wei En and Ameerul Putra Bin Abdul Wahab (both centre) receiving their championship trophy from (left to right) Sean Cottrell (CEO & Co-founder of LawInSport), Michael Lenard OLY (President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, ICAS), Matthieu Reeb (Director General of CAS) and Manan Agrawal (Director of SLAM). [Photo credit: LawInSport]](/sites/engage.smu.edu.sg/files/2026-05/PRN%20photo1_SMU%20team%20wins%20SLAM%20in%20Lausanne.jpg)
SMU’s Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL) has successfully defended its title at the Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM).
By the end of this seventh edition of the annual moot competition on 24 April this year, SMU’s mooters had successfully defended their title, marking SMU’s second consecutive championship at the international competition, following its debut victory in 2025.
The winning mooters were Samantha Chong Wei En (2nd year, LLB) and Ameerul Putra Bin Abdul Wahab (3rd year, LLB). They were supported by Darius Alexander Maskun (3rd year, LLB) and Kyran Mariel Narayanan (3rd year, LLB) and coached by Jordan Chia (Class of 2024).
A global competition with a distinctive format
This year’s competition based on sports law drew 77 university teams from around the world. Participants progressed through written submissions and regional oral rounds before advancing to the final knockout stages held at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) premises in Switzerland — a feature that distinguishes SLAM from many other international moots.
The preliminary rounds centred on a fictional anti-doping dispute in the sport of toe wrestling, focusing on athlete responsibility in supplement use. The knockout rounds introduced a separate problem involving another fictional sport, fireball, where teams argued whether anti-doping procedures had been properly followed.
Professor Lee Pey Woan, Dean of SMU Yong Pung How School of Law, said, “This win reflects our school's commitment to training lawyers who can reason across complex, evolving legal landscapes – sports law being one of the fastest-growing areas of international practice. The consecutive win at SLAM is a testament to our students' preparation, rigour, and ability to perform at the highest level.”
Preparation for the competition extended beyond legal research. To deepen their understanding of anti-doping disputes, the students consulted former Singapore national runner and lawyer Goh Chui Ling, Switzerland-based lawyer who specialises in international sports law and arbitration.
“Athletes experience these sporting rules not as abstractions but as lived realities – and having the SMU team bring that perspective to their championship-winning performance was incredible to witness,” said Ms Goh.
She added, “This journey is a reminder of the collective effort required to move the needle in a specialised field like sports law in Singapore.
“But what excites me is the bigger picture: the seeds of expertise are being planted in our legal education system, and by sharpening this niche through both education and practice, we are doing more than just winning moots. We are reinforcing Singapore’s trajectory to be a premier hub for international sports law and arbitration.”
For Samantha Chong, competing in Lausanne brought an added sense of occasion.
“It has been a nerve-racking, arduous, fulfilling, and unforgettable journey. Competing at the actual CAS premises added a real dimension to the experience – these are the same halls where disputes involving Olympic athletes are decided. It sharpened our focus and reminded us why the arguments we were making matter.
“Ameerul and I could not have made it this far without the help of our coach Jordan, our professors, Ms Ling and Mr Hessert, all our judges in our practice rounds, and our indispensable teammates Kyran and Alex.”
A record-breaking year for SMU Law
The SLAM title follows a record-breaking season for SMU Law. In Academic Year 2024–25, the school secured championship honours in seven major competitions, including the Jessup, Vis East, Frankfurt, and International Criminal Court moots.
The school also recorded a significant rise in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, climbing 45 places to 56th globally — the most improved subject entry in Singapore that year.
Professor Lee said, “Our students' achievements on the international stage are the clearest expression of our commitment in providing a law education that is rigorous, cutting-edge, and connected to the real world.”
Much of the school’s success in advocacy competitions has been driven by the Ian R Taylor International Moots Programme, which has helped establish SMU Law as a consistent presence in leading international moots. According to the global Nica.team Law School Ranking, the school is regularly placed among the top three law schools worldwide for international mooting.
As SMU Yong Pung How School of Law approaches its 20th anniversary in 2027, the latest victory in Lausanne reflects not only competitive success, but the school’s growing reputation in global legal education.
