Volker Hesse participated in a two-day seminar in order to improve his skills as mediator. During the seminar a new concept of mediation was introduced – called “short-time mediation” which seems to be well suited for various disputes in sports.

One of the advantages of mediation procedures compared to proceedures at arbitration tribunals or state courts is that mediation is usually much faster. While regular mediation proceedures require a couple of meetings  between the parties and the mediator, a new concept was designed that makes it possible that a mediation procedure is conducted in one single session. In such a “short-time mediation”, the parties meet with the mediator for a pre-defined time frame with the aim to work out a solution for their present conflict. The independant mediator helps both parties in this process without judging or making a decision. As such, the parties keep the decision-making power in their conflict which is one of the main differences to arbitration procedures. This “short-time mediation” is particuliary well suited for conflicts in which there is a big geographical distance between the parties, where the ressources of the parties are limited and where a fast solution is required for the conflict.