The Court of Arbitration for Sport's case against 34 past and present Essendon players is likely to be held in Sydney in mid-October rather than at the Swiss headquarters of the international sport tribunal.

The appointment of Michael Beloff​, QC, as the president of the three-judge tribunal, has opened up the possibility of the World Anti-Doping Agency's appeal against a decision by the AFL Anti-Doping body to free the Essendon players of a doping violation being heard at CAS's Australian base in Sydney.

October hearing: Jobe Watson and Essendon teammates at a press conference after they were cleared by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal in March. Credit:Getty Images

Essendon's nominated arbitrator, Jim Spigelman​, QC, lives in Sydney and it is understood Beloff has told CAS he has no objections to the case being heard in the NSW capital.

WADA's nominee, Romano Subiotto​, QC, a Belgium-based barrister, is the second arbitrator to sit on the three-man panel that decides the location of the hearing.