This article discusses approaches to the vexed question of witness preparation (or ‘coaching’) adopted in differing jurisdictions and legal traditions, pursuant to a variety of arbitration rules and leading arbitral codes of evidence, procedure and ethics. It also discusses comparative legal, ethical and practical perspectives on combatting abuse of witness preparation. These tend to militate against any realistic prospect of reaching global consensus on truly practicable and universally applicable and enforceable transnational standards. The article is an edited version of the winning entry in the Asia Emerging Economies category of the 2023 HK45 Essay Competition.