The arbitration panel has issued its decision. The legal arguments have been analysed and adjudicated upon. In many ways, the whole process has been a defining moment for the sport. There may be a danger that the bad feelings created will linger.
But was there another way to handle the situation? Litigation and arbitration involve the taking of positions, arguments about the rules and the application of the law. There are almost inevitably winners and losers. That's the way the system works. Sometimes that is necessary; perhaps this was one of those cases which needed that approach. However, most disputes are not resolved in this way. Only a very small percentage of legal conflicts end up in court or arbitration. The vast majority are resolved by negotiation, by stakeholders working together to find an outcome which meets the needs and interests of all concerned.
