Collection
Want to search by particular topic? This page features all Sports Law Combine articles by topic as they become published.
Anti-Doping
Rodchenkov Act Hearing: Pessimism about a clean Tokyo
A panel of experts have provided a “pessimistic account of what may take place in Tokyo’ in terms of doping offences and were highly critical of the role of WADA and the IOC
Sports Law Combine
Sun Yang suspension partially upheld by CAS: Part 1
Sun Yang, the three-time Olympic gold medallist, was finally barred from swimming at these Olympics due to his “foolish gamble,” according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’).
Sports Law Combine
Mid-Week Roundup: Swimmer granted Olympic entry and rugby player receives doping ban
FINA and an open water swimmer from Kazakhstan have amicably resolved a dispute headed for arbitration, with FINA offering an additional quota place to allow him to compete in the Olympic event. Swimmer granted entry As reported by Sports Law Combine on Monday, the swimmer Vitaliy Khudyakov, had fi…
Sports Law Combine
Sun Yang suspension partially upheld by CAS: Part 2
In Part two of our look at the decision that barred Sun Yang from Swimming at these Olympics and beyond, we report on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) analysis of the merits of the appeal, the offence Mr Sun may have committed and the sanction he ultimately received.
Sports Law Combine
Daily Combine: Sprinter Alex Wilson back on outer
Alex Wilson, a Swiss Olympic qualified sprinter, is out of the Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) reinstated his provisional suspension despite an earlier reprieve from the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Olympic. CAS’s Ad-Hoc Division said that the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss…
Sports Law Combine
Rewind: The decision that suspended Shayna Jack’s Olympic dream
As Shayna Jack, the now high-profile Australian swimmer, watches the Tokyo Olympics unfold unable to qualify due to her current 2-year suspension for the presence of a prohibited substance. Sports Law Combine revisits The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) Award delivered in November 2020.
Sports Law Combine
Full Award released in Alex Wilson case
The Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad-Hoc Division (‘CAS AHD’) has released the full arbitral Award relating to the provisional suspension of Alex Wilson from the Men’s 100-metre sprint. As reported by Sports Law Combine earlier this week Wilson, a Swiss sprinter who had impressed in the days before…
Sports Law Combine
Nigerian Sprinter provisionally suspended, missed weekend’s 100m
Continuing a troubling week for the Nigerian Athletics team, Olympic medallist sprinter Blessing Okagabrae missed Saturday night’s Women’s 100m sprint after testing positive for a human growth hormone. As was reported on Friday 10 of 20 athletes barred from competing in the Olympic athletic progra…
Sports Law Combine
Shayna Jack two-year ban upheld by CAS, is free to swim
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) appeals panel has, whilst disagreeing with the reasons of the original CAS Arbitrator, ultimately upheld the two-year period of ineligibility against Australian swimmer Shayna Jack. This means, with the original suspension for ingesting the banned substance…
Sports Law Combine
Four-year bans on Alberto Salazar and Dr Jeffrey Brown upheld
Despite hearings described as “out of proportion and excessive”, compared to the doping violations committed, by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) they still dismissed an appeal from high-profile athletics coach Alberto Salazar and a doctor he worked with to overturn their bans.
Sports Law Combine
Shayna Jack Award, details of ‘close call’ released
Shayna Jack avoided her doping suspension from being prolonged until 2023 in a “close call made with considerable hesitation”, it has been revealed in the much anticipated full Award, published by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) Appeal Panel. As reported on 17 September, the CAS had annou…
Sports Law Combine
WADA updates prohibited substance lists for 2022
In an important update for athletes and those working in the industry, WADA has published the 2022 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods documenting changes to the prohibited list that will come into effect from 1 January 2022. Among the changes are the inclusion of an experimental and non-appr…
Sports Law Combine
Nigerian Olympic sprinter Blessing Okagbare charged by Athletics Integrity Unit
The 100-metres sprinter Blessing Okagbare has been charged for three different offences by the Athletics Integrity Unit (‘AIU’) following a positive test for a prohibited substance detected the day she was scheduled to compete at the Olympic event’s semi-finals. Ms Okagbare, a medallist from the Rio…
Sports Law Combine
First-person charged under Rodchenkov Act faces uncertain legal path
A Texas man who made headlines this week as the first person charged under recently created federal U.S. anti-doping legislation known as the Rodchenkov Act (‘RADA’) will face an unprecedented prosecution set to test RADA’s effectiveness of tackling institutionalised doping with criminal prosecution…
Sports Law Combine
Kamila Valieva provisional suspension “clearly unfair” and cause of “irreparable harm”: Part 1
The Russian Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee, who initially overturned Kamila Valieva’s provisional suspension, thought it would be “clearly unfair” to deny her gold medal shot, which led to that decision being appealed by the IOC, WADA and the International Skating Union (‘ISU’), as detailed by t…
Sports Law Combine
Kamila Valieva provisional suspension “clearly unfair” and cause of “irreparable harm”: Part 2
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) read “an unintended gap” in the World Anti-Doping Code in reaching their verdict in dismissing the appeals against Valieva’s provisional suspension. In Part two of our article about the decision that allowed Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva to controver…
Sports Law Combine
No appeal yet for Blessing Okagbare after 10-year ban in systematic doping scheme
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Sports Law Combine
Rio gold finally stripped from Kazak weightlifter for urine substitution offences
The Anti-Doping Division has finally stripped Nihat Rahimov of his 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal for his part in world weightlifting’s well-documented doping saga that included several urine substitution offences. Rahimov, who won gold in the men’s 77-kilogram class in Rio representing Kazakhstan, wa…
Sports Law Combine
No reprieve for 17y/o union player in careless doping case
A rugby union player representing Australia at the 2016 World Rugby Under-20 Championships was found to be reckless with substances taken during university 10-months before a positive test at those Championships, in a decision from the 31 Awards released for the first time on the Court of Arbitratio…
Sports Law Combine
Arbitration
Daily Combine: CAS rejects field of play appeal in 4x400 relay
The Ad-Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration of Sport (‘CAS AHD’) has dismissed ‘on the papers’ a field of play application by the National Olympic Committees of Belgium and Netherlands who were seeking to overturn medals awarded in the 4x400-metre mixed relay.
Sports Law Combine
Olympic field of play decisions dismissed by CAS
In a further dismissal of a field of play decision, French super heavyweight boxer Mourad Aliev failed in his bid to overturn his disqualification from an Olympic bout before the Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad-Hoc Division (‘CAS AHD’). Aliev, who was disqualified from his quarter-final on Sunda…
Sports Law Combine
Olympic boxer unable to ‘rewrite rules’ in medal quest
In another field of play decision, but this time with a twist, a Colombian boxer has failed to gain entry into the semi-finals of the Men’s Fly in Tokyo as the Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad-Hoc Division (‘CAS AHD’) said they would have to “re-write the rules” to grant
Sports Law Combine
WADA rues Tokyo Olympics arbitrators lack of expertise, communication: seek improvement for future games
The World-Anti Doping Agency’s Independent Observers (‘WADA IO’s’) have criticised the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) appointment of some arbitrators who had “an insufficient level of anti-doping knowledge” in a 44-page report on anti-doping matters observed at last year’s Tokyo Olympics. Th…
Sports Law CombineCAS responds to WADA Tokyo criticism in war of words
The Court of Arbitration for Sport Anti-Doping Division (‘CAS ADD’) has hit back at a ‘lack of knowledge’ criticism levelled by WADA to anti-doping arbitrators at the Tokyo Olympics. In a media release response, the CAS ADD said WADA’s criticisms were unnecessary, not raised with them directly and m…
Sports Law CombineJamaican Bobsledder denied quota request after ‘fictitious’ points earned by rival
In another limitation to an athlete’s ability to challenge Olympic non-selection, a Jamaican athlete has been told she lacks standing to seek a quota to compete in the two-woman Bobsleigh. The athlete was also told she would not have had her relief granted anyway because her International Federation…
Sports Law Combine
Forced arbitration Bill passes U.S. House, NFL plaintiff Flores among supporters
Proposed legislation targeting forced arbitration clauses, introduced to Congress last March, has passed a U.S. House of Representatives vote late Thursday[U.S. time]. The legislation would impact U.S. sports arbitration and assist high-profile legal matters, including ex-NFL Coach Brian Flores’s ra…
Sports Law Combine
CAS Publishes 31 new Awards but frustration mounts over waiting times
Whilst 31 previously unpublished Awards were posted to the Court’s website yesterday, it has highlighted industry frustration over the arbitrary nature of which matters are published and how long parties must wait for decisions to be communicated. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) has been…
Sports Law Combine
CAS provides update on Russian proceedings: Stays denied and long waits ahead
Russian sporting authorities are battling to make any progress in overturning mass exclusions of their athletes from world sports competitions due to the Ukrainian conflict, as an update provided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) demonstrates the extent of proceedings and workload the Ru…
Sports Law CombineCOVID-19, Concussion and OHS
Professional Rugby League player settles ‘landmark’ concussion litigation
Newcastle Knights player James McManus has settled ‘on the courtroom steps’ his civil claim, in excess of $1million (AUD), for concussion-related illness against the National Rugby League (‘NRL’) at the New South Wales Supreme Court.
Sports Law Combine
International Basketballer released from contract due to anti-vax stance
A professional basketball player has been released from his contract for an anti-COVID-19 vaccination stance despite having nearly two years left to run on the contract. Despite the player, New Zealand international Tai Webster, mutually agreeing to the termination of his playing contract, it is a c…
Sports Law CombineQatar 2022 may mandate player vaccines
In a further development that raises legal debate concerning the role of mandatory vaccine policies for sportspeople, the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee is considering barring any players from the tournament that have not had a prior approved COVID-19 vaccination.
Sports Law Combine
Another basketballer rescinds contract due to anti-vax stance
A third National Basketball League (‘NBL’) player has mutually terminated their contract with their club in response to a refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccination ahead of the upcoming season.
Sports Law CombineWinter Olympics mandatory vaccinations the norm
COVID-19 vaccinations for winter Olympians from countries including the United States, Canada and Australia, qualified and intending to compete at February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing have been ruled mandatory by their respective national committees.
Sports Law CombineViktoria Azarenka said a tennis vaccine mandate would face legal hurdles: Is she correct?
In the wake of the Australian Open and fallout from Novak Djokovic’s vaccine hold-out, sports lawyers say Viktoria Azarenka’s comments that a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the Women’s Tennis Association (‘WTA’) tour would pose a legal ‘challenge’ are legally wide of the mark. Ms Azarenka, who is a s…
Sports Law Combine
Motor Racing: 1yr on lessons learnt from Targa Tasmania Investigative Report?
Another fatal Targa Tasmania crash on Wednesday night has raised questions over the viability of the famous rally event and what organisers have learnt after a tribunal report published 23 crucial safety recommendations following three fatalities at last year’s event.
Sports Law Combine
Disciplinary
Oldest Olympian faced possible equestrian ‘termination’
Australia’s celebrated oldest active Olympian, Mary Hanna, was sanctioned for controversial social media posts impugning Equestrian Australia’s (‘EA’) head veterinarian in the first contested arbitration case before the Australian National Sports Tribunal (‘NST’). However, Ms Hanna, who has competed…
Sports Law Combine
Cricket South Africa, Mark Boucher face test of dismissal, discipline procedures in racism case
Cricket South Africa (‘CSA’) are pursuing the dismissal of their own men’s team national coach, Mark Boucher, accusing him of “racist or subliminally racist” conduct and bringing CSA into “disrepute,” according to a charge sheet provided to him last week. The strong rebuke from CSA comes before he f…
Sports Law Combine
ICC bans Brendan Taylor for anti-corruption, doping breaches
Brendan Taylor, the former Zimbabwean men’s cricket captain, has been banned for three and a half years for breaching corruption rules centred on failing to report approaches from possible spot-fixers and also for a doping offence, according to a statement and corruption and doping decisions rendere…
Sports Law Combine
Amateur rider’s penalty reduced after NST appeal of ‘biased’ sanction
Motorcycling Australia attacked its largest state association for showing ‘bias’ and ‘conflict of interest’ when sanctioning a rider, in arbitration proceedings, according to one of the most recently published decisions before the Australian National Sports Tribunal (‘NST’).
Sports Law Combine
Delay and misinformation to investigators cost Brendan Taylor lengthy cricket ban
A $15,000(USD) “appearance fee” was the pretext for a meeting to discuss corrupting matches with a professional cricketer, highlighting the increased focus on one of cricket’s greatest integrity threats when would-be corrupters approach players, the International Cricket Council (‘ICC’) detailed in…
Sports Law Combine
Esports
Esports heavyweight Activision Blizzard agrees to $18mil harassment settlement
Activision Blizzard, a Fortune 500 company that develops Overwatch and Call of Duty, has lodged a Court Notice to create a settlement fund by consent with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (‘the plaintiffs’) relating to sexual harassment and discrimination claims from employees. The plain…
Sports Law Combine
Esports integrity and best practice: Esports summit recap
Asking why integrity in Esports is necessary, a panel of experts from Australia and New Zealand has called for balancing commercial gain at all costs with a stronger focus on integrity education in a discussion at the online Esports Australia Summit 2021 in Melbourne.
Sports Law Combine
Football
FIFA release Football Tribunal procedural details, online handbook
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Sports Law Combine
FIFA releases disciplinary and ethics report Pt 1
Football Clubs failing to pay a debt owed to another club, FIFA or another party was the most common football misdemeanour heard before FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee over the last financial year, according to statistics released today. These results were detailed by FIFA today who released its annua…
Sports Law Combine
FIFA releases disciplinary and ethics report Pt 2
Players and officials from FIFA clubs were sanctioned over $3.1 million[USD] resulting from breaches found by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee over the last financial year, according to statistics released this week. These results were detailed by FIFA, earlier this week, who released its annual repo…
Sports Law Combine
CAS Arbitarial Award affirms corruption life ban for fmr. FIFA executive
In a decision that goes to the core of the issue of corruption by FIFA officials, a high-ranking former Brazilian football administrator failed in his bid to appeal a life sanction as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) found he was guilty of bribery offences for his part in
Sports Law Combine
Borussia Dortmund midfielder’s match-fixing comments could lead to re-think of post-match interview
Police prosecutors in Dortmund, Germany and the German Football Association (‘DFB’) are investigating comments from the player, England International Jude Bellingham, that criticised and inferred match-fixing by a Bundesliga referee. Sports Law Combine reports on the potential legal consequences for…
Sports Law Combine
Evidence ruling next step in long-awaited FIFA corruption trial
A Federal Judge in New York is deliberating on the admissibility of key evidence in a long-running criminal corruption case. U.S. law enforcement has been seeking to prosecute stakeholders for their involvement in bribes relating to the awarding and broadcasting of football tournaments, including th…
Sports Law Combine
Russian Football Union particularise appeal over FIFA, UEFA ban
The Russian Football Union (‘RFU’) have particularised their intended appeal, which they say will be lodged to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) to challenge the FIFA and UEFA decision to ban their teams from international competition. The appeal would be in response to UEFA and FIFA’s deci…
Sports Law CombineCAS Registers Football Union of Russia appeals against sanction
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) has announced today they have registered promised appeals filed by the Football Union of Russia (‘FUR’) in response to their suspension from FIFA and UEFA international competition. The suspensions were issued as part of a wide-ranging sanction campaign a…
Sports Law CombineReview of the FIFA Annual Law Review: Buenos Aires, Argentina
FIFA Legal’s upcoming focus will be tuned to the European Super League legal battle, the early stages of the operation of the Football Tribunal and stamping out sexual misconduct, according to the fourth edition of the FIFA Law Annual Review (‘law review’) held in Buenos Aires last week. In a
Sports Law Combine
CAS deny Russian stay request over UEFA football ban
Russia’s hopes of participating in upcoming world football matches have been severely dented as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) denied the Football Union of Russia (‘FUR’) application for a stay against the decision to ban Russian teams and clubs from UEFA competition. The CAS announced i…
Sports Law CombineRICO charges dropped, but trial set for FIFA broadcasting corruption case
Trial preparations are well advanced for a long-awaited criminal corruption case where U.S. law enforcement is seeking to prosecute stakeholders for their involvement in bribes relating to the awarding and broadcasting of football tournaments, including FIFA World Cups and, in this case, the Copa Li…
Sports Law Combine
Stay denied in Russia football case, teams won’t compete in World Cups
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) said Russian football’s appeal against the exclusion of its World Cup teams is not without merit but denied their stay request anyway because their qualification was still “hypothetical”. The ruling means the Russian teams cannot realistically participate i…
Sports Law Combine
Egypt and Algeria’s “hopeless” World Cup replay petitions not finished yet
Yesterday’s announcement that a FIFA tripartite committee has been installed to examine a complaint lodged by the Egyptian Football Association (‘EFA’) has given surprising fresh hope to their request for a replay of their final World Cup qualifying match. The replay request is ultimately expected t…
Sports Law Combine
Industry
Sports Law Combine launches industry newsletter
Whilst the sporting world’s focus falls on the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony tonight, an exciting new chapter commences today with this publication Sports Law Combine launching a premium newsletter service. With excitement building for Tokyo after a 1-year postponement and pandemic that has teste…
Sports Law Combine
University of Canberra sport integrity scholarships offered
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Sports Law Combine
State of the sports law profession webinar provides industry insights
In Sports Law Combine’s recent inaugural webinar “State of the Sports Law Profession” a panel of experts discussed this topic, in the Australian context, against the backdrop of an industry where trust in the profession is still ‘finite’ and behind jurisdictions such as the United States. The webina…
Sports Law Combine
Latest webinar to focus on League of Legends Esports league
Sports Law Combine has teamed up again with Mat Jessep of Game Legal to bring you the latest in our webinar series this time on the topic of Esports this Thursday. As part of our objective to bring you the latest news and developments from the sports law industry, we
Sports Law Combine
Australia, New Zealand sports law association releases latest annual journal
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Sports Law Combine
Guarded closure to key issues as 2021 comes to an end
Several prominent matters emerging within the Sports Law Industry in 2021 have wrapped up just in time for the end of the year, closing the chapter (at least temporarily) on significant issues distracting the likes of Formula 1, U.S. Women’s soccer and sporting entities caught in COVID-19 insurance…
Sports Law Combine
China progress key changes to sports law, anti-doping regulation
The Chinese government is close to adopting several legislative changes to its state anti-doping, sports arbitration and athlete’s rights regime, according to a draft review presented to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (‘NPC’), China’s primary legislator. The proposed amendm…
Sports Law Combine
Industry webinar advances need for greater transperancy, jurisprudence and equality for sports tribunals
The respective heads of key sporting tribunals have said there is a need for greater gender equality and consistency in decisions in sports arbitration in a webinar discussing the operation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) and Australia’s National Sports Tribunal (‘NST’).
Sports Law Combine
Integrity and governance
Daily Combine: Integrity boost for Austrian Tennis and Alex Wilson
The Austrian Tennis Association has boosted its integrity capabilities after signing a two-year agreement with Sportradar Integrity Services to monitor integrity issues at major tournaments.
Sports Law Combine
Boxing, Weightlifting IF’s must make governance reforms following Olympic exclusion
After years of governance failures causing a cloud to hang over the International Federations (‘IF’s’) of long-time Olympic sports Boxing and Weighlfiting, the IOC Executive Board has decided to remove the sports from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (‘LA28’) schedule. Although the IOC has left op…
Sports Law Combine
Interpol Bi-weekly review: Possible Arsenal spot-fixing shock, African Cup troubles and Belgium football crisis
In our latest article reviewing Interpol’s Match-Fixing Taskforce bi-weekly Bulletin detailing integrity issues in global sports, we examine football integrity observations from England, Belgium and the ongoing African Cup of Nations tournament. FA monitoring unusual betting on Arsenal yellow card
Sports Law Combine
Sportradar integirty report highlights record for suspicious betting
A report released in the last week from Sportradar uncovered the highest number of suspicious sporting fixtures in the integrity service’s 17-year history, highlighting the extent and trends of the integirty risks posed by betting even in another sporting year interrupted by COVID-19. The report tit…
Sports Law Combine
Supreme Court says rugby league director improperly excluded, parties spar over outcome, ARLC appeal likely
Both parties of a dispute regarding disqualified director provisions of the New South Wales Rugby League (‘NSWRL’) Constitution have claimed a partial victory arising from Justice Ball’s NSW Supreme Court judgement issued this morning.
Sports Law Combine
Litigation
US women’s soccer continues equal pay fight with 9th. Circ. appeal
The United States women’s soccer team filed a promised appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Friday in response to their long-running equal pay dispute. The player’s vowing in reference to the appeal “anyone who knows this team knows we do not
Sports Law Combine
NY Yankees forced to defend ex-minor league affiliate litigation
The New York Yankees have been ordered to defend an alleged breach of contract claim by the owner’s of a popular former affiliate team, the Staten Island Yankees, after losing part of a motion to dismiss in a ruling by the New York State Supreme Court.
Sports Law Combine
Miami residents flagged by Court in bid to halt city’s F1 return
Aggrieved residents in Miami have failed in a legal bid, including seeking an injunction to prevent the 2022 Miami Grand Prix the first in Florida since 1959, claiming to hold the Formula 1 (‘F1’) race in their neighbourhood was discriminatory and in violation of their civil rights, noise and nuisan…
Sports Law Combine
Super Bowl in tow, the NFL has a litigation problem but one its not afraid to fight
Whilst attention has finally shifted to the National Football League’s showpiece Super Bowl, the NFL remains the most litigated sport in the world. Three recent legal issues, in particular, have distracted the build-up to the match and have the potential to cause damage to the NFL’s long-term image.…
Sports Law Combine
U.S. Women’s soccer settlement, final Olympic matters dealt with by CAS and figure skaters sued for IP breach
The high-profile U.S. women’s soccer equal pay litigation has settled, marking what appears to be a legal victory and major boon scored by women’s players and the game at a grassroots level. Elsewhere, a U.S. figure skating pair is being sued for their allegedly unauthorised use of the
Sports Law Combine
Weekend Roundup: Landmark race agreement in NFL concussion settlement, Graham Smith arbitration to start today
A long-running discrimination dispute between former black players and the NFL over the administration and eligibility to benefits under the league’s concussion settlement was resolved after a Settlement Agreement (‘Agreement’) was certified by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody. The end of…
Sports Law Combine
Rules and disputes
Taylor Walker banned for 6 matches for Peek Rule offence
Prominent Australian Rules footballer Taylor Walker of the Adelaide Crows has received a 6-match ban and $20,000 (AUD) fine after a racial vilification investigation under the League’s ‘Peek Rule’. After the investigation and conciliation process Walker admitted to making offensive racial-based comm…
Sports Law CombineSimmonds ‘anti-tampering’ comments cost Warriors Governor $50k fine
Joe Lacob, Governor of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, was fined $50,000(USD) yesterday for breaching the league’s stringent anti-tampering rules after unusual comments about Ben Simmons potential trade, despite never mentioning the player’s name. Mr Lacob, without referring to Simmons directly, s…
Sports Law Combine
Tense Formula 1 finale headed for legal action, Mercedes lodge intention to appeal
The high-profile finish to the Formula 1 season is heading to the courts after a dramatic day that saw two separate protests from Mercedes thrown out and then an intention to appeal lodged after their driver Lewis Hamilton was denied the chance to win the season’s championship. Hamilton was leading
Sports Law Combine
What Grand Slam ‘tennis laws’ say about Djokovic withdrawal
With the Australian Open draw now released and the sporting world’s focus shifted on the Novak Djokovic visa saga, a still possible visa cancellation and Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Grand Slam will significantly affect the main draw according to the laws of tennis. Beyond the personal loss, both…
Sports Law Combine
NRL plays prosecutor after issuing breach notice against exonerated player
The role of the National Rugby League (‘NRL’) playing prosecutor against players over criminal matters and the limits of their controversial No-Fault Stand Down policy has again gained attention. After this week, a breach notice was issued against Melbourne Strom player Tui Kamikamica for bringing t…
Sports Law Combine
News Brief: Chile appeal to unseat Ecuador for World Cup place
The Football Federation of Chile is seeking, through a FIFA appeal, the cancellation of 14 points earned by Ecuador in South America’s World Cup qualifying campaign for fielding an ineligible player. That outcome would see the Chilean team take over Ecuador’s fourth-place finish in South America qu…
Sports Law Combine
Sports antitrust, competition and commercial
Kraków to go to referendum for already awarded 2023 Games
With a possible legal fight brewing, residents of the city of Kraków will go to a referendum to decide whether they host the European Games in 2023 despite the Games having already been awarded to the Polish city by the European Olympic Committees (‘EOC’). The referendum comes as a dispute
Sports Law Combine
Feature: Test cricket cancellations create new implications
In light of the almost certain cancellations of two more Test cricket matches in the last week, boardrooms and lawyers are taking the place of the cricketers in battle in lieu of on-field action. Whilst cancelled cricket series and tournaments have become the norm in the last 18 months due
Sports Law Combine
Pay-TV provider avoids regulator fine despite gambling ad breach decision
Australia’s primary cable television provider, Foxtel Pty Ltd, has avoided any fine or substantial penalty despite breaching broadcasting standards in showing a gambling ad during an Australian Rules football match on Easter Monday. Foxtel had self-reported the breach as “human error” following a vi…
Sports Law CombineWild MLB week sees lockout end, but League’s antitrust exemption faces scrutiny
Former Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders is among United States Senators still calling for an end to the MLB’s controversial and long-held antitrust exemption. Despite the MLB and the Players’ Union’s just-brokered tentative agreement, that will see the end of what looked an inevitable- at…
Sports Law Combine
Fantasy sports not “gambling” after key New York ruling
Two separate Court actions in New York and New Jersey over the last week have demonstrated the highs and lows for fantasy sports operators seeking a commercial foothold in the lucrative United States market whilst skirting around the fringes of tight sports gambling regulations. Firstly a ruling thi…
Sports Law Combine
Super League clubs lose interim protections against sanction in Spanish ruling
Interim protections preventing sanctions against the clubs who sought to join the ill-fated European Super League (‘ESL’) have been lifted, as decided in a Thursday ruling from Spain’s Mercantile Court No. 17 of Madrid (‘Madrid Commercial Court’), a key arbitrator of the expansive legal battle occur…
Sports Law Combine
Sports betting tentacles grow in U.S. markets, why its illegal to bet on the NFL draft and latest on bizarre NBA defamation case
The emerging and lucrative sports betting market in the United States continues to overcome long-held legal restraints, with the NCAA and Massachusetts the latest to overcome their long-held opposition. However, gaps remain in the betting landscape in huge domestic markets like New York where for ex…
Sports Law Combine
Sports employment law
Major League Baseball lockout, legal posturing in full swing
2 December 2021 has rolled around meaning the Major League Baseball (‘MLB’) has commenced a work stoppage or ‘lockout’, as it is commonly known, as a result of the failure of owners and players to agree to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (‘CBA’) before it expired yesterday. Whilst not unexpect…
Sports Law Combine
Cricket South Africa, Mark Boucher face test of dismissal, discipline procedures in racism case
Cricket South Africa (‘CSA’) are pursuing the dismissal of their own men’s team national coach, Mark Boucher, accusing him of “racist or subliminally racist” conduct and bringing CSA into “disrepute,” according to a charge sheet provided to him last week. The strong rebuke from CSA comes before he f…
Sports Law CombineWild MLB week sees lockout end, but League’s antitrust exemption faces scrutiny
Former Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders is among United States Senators still calling for an end to the MLB’s controversial and long-held antitrust exemption. Despite the MLB and the Players’ Union’s just-brokered tentative agreement, that will see the end of what looked an inevitable- at…
Sports Law CombineSports and human rights
Beijing Olympics, human rights and a muzzle on speaking out
As the Beijing Winter Olympics finally land, the intersection of sports, human rights and geopolitics has never been greater after the focus on Chinese human rights abuses and measures they have taken to silence criticism, all against the backdrop of strict COVID-19 conditions. Right up to the last…
Sports Law Combine
Paralympic ban for Russian athletes latest punishment for sporting outcast- now for the legal challenges
After a week of escalating sporting sanctions, second-guessing by administrators and ultimately harsh measures, Russia is now a sporting pariah. A review of the sanctions currently imposed against Russian(and Belarussian) athletes, culminating in para-athletes being barred from competing at the Wint…
Sports Law Combine
Russia advance legal cases, but no appeal for para-athletes
Russian para-athletes are leaving the Winter Paralympics in Beijing after the Russian Paralympic Committee (‘RPC’) were “unable” to assert any appeal rights following the International Paralympic Committee (‘IPC’) decision to ban them, along with participants from Belarus, from competing. It comes a…
Sports Law Combine
Transgender athlete fight stirs as legislative and court challenges mount
The legal fight over the participation of transgender athletes, in the United States and globally, is heating up after Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, in recent days, vetoed a state bill that would bar transgender girls from playing in high-school sports. Similar laws were also vetoed in recent week…
Sports Law Combine
Tennis officials respond to controversial Russian Wimbledon ban
Tennis’s governing bodies have slammed yesterday’s controversial and “discriminatory” announcement that the All England Club (‘Wimbledon’) had banned all Russian player’s from competing in June’s showpiece Grand Slam. The official announcement followed media reporting a day earlier, suggesting the b…
Sports Law Combine
Olympics
Why Tokyo “cancellation was never an option”
On Tuesday, International Olympic Committee (‘IOC’) President Thomas Bach said cancelling the divisive Tokyo Olympics was “never an option” at his address at the 138th International Olympic Session in the Japanese capital. Mr Bach said, “cancellation would have been easy and [we could have] drawn on…
Sports Law Combine
Daily Combine: CAS Ad Hoc, Anti-Doping Divisions active in Tokyo
Both the Ad Hoc and Anti-Doping divisions of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) site offices are in place in Tokyo, and already determining disputes in preparation for the Olympic Games competition schedule officially commencing tomorrow.
Sports Law CombineWeekend Roundup: CAS Issues tennis decision, doping discus thrower and more
In our reporting of legal issues arising from the Olympic Games over the weekend, we see the Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad-Hoc Division (‘CAS AHD’) considered matters including the inclusion of the Georgian tennis doubles team. Whilst an athlete qualified for the discus competition was found to…
Sports Law Combine
Daily Combine: Discriminatory judokas facing further sanction
The International Judo Federation (‘IJF’) has said an Algerian Judoka and his coach, who withdrew from Olympic competition on Saturday due to concerns about potentially facing an Israeli athlete, will face formal disciplinary action.
Sports Law CombineMid-Week Roundup: Swimmer granted Olympic entry and rugby player receives doping ban
FINA and an open water swimmer from Kazakhstan have amicably resolved a dispute headed for arbitration, with FINA offering an additional quota place to allow him to compete in the Olympic event. Swimmer granted entry As reported by Sports Law Combine on Monday, the swimmer Vitaliy Khudyakov, had fi…
Sports Law Combine20 athletes late scratchings from Tokyo due to testing failures
Twenty athletes qualified in the Olympic track and field competition are ineligible to compete because their Federations missed minimum testing requirements, the Athletics Integrity Unit revealed as the Athletics program gets underway in Tokyo today. The Athletics Integrity Unit ruled the athletes o…
Sports Law Combine
Mid-week roundup: More cases for CAS and Shot Put ban
In a busy few days at the Olympics, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has registered further applications and decisions, whilst a Georgian Shot Put competitor has been provisionally suspended from competing in the Olympic event. Rule 15 appeal As reported by Sports Law Combine on Friday, 20 compet…
Sports Law Combine
Daily Combine: Olympics end but legal issues persist
After 16 days of battle in the sporting fields and stadiums and ‘courtrooms’ of Tokyo, the Olympic Games have come to an end. However, the legal issues facing the International Olympic Committee (‘IOC’) and its partners are far from over. Whilst the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) and their
Sports Law Combine
CAS Ad Hoc, Anti-Doping Offices to open in Beijing for Winter Games
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’), commencing 25 January, will open the two temporary offices in central Beijing as part of their jurisdiction to expeditiously determine disputes arising out of and in connection with the Olympic Games. Both offices divisions will open and accept application…
Sports Law Combine
CAS Registers first tranche of Olympic selection cases in Beijing
The first five cases for arbitration have been registered to the Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad-Hoc Division (‘CAS AHD’) in Beijing in the days leading up to Friday’s Opening Ceremony. The Court held the fate of several athletes chances of competing in their hands in a series of selection
Sports Law Combine
IOC talks-up anti-doping integirty measures in Beijing
Rigorous doping testing has taken place in Beijing ensuring protection of the integirty of the Winter Olympics, the IOC said in a press release reporting from the 139th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Beijing. IOC’s confidence was based on reports and updates from key officials fr…
Sports Law CombineWeekend Roundup: Winter Olympics, CAS issues more decisions from Beijing and more
In our reporting of legal issues arising over the weekend from the Olympic Games and Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’), we saw further decisions from Olympic disputes published by the CAS Ad-Hoc Division and a test of confidence in the integrity of Beijing’s figure skating events. CAS AHD revea…
Sports Law Combine
Olympic figure skating ceremony delayed, ROC doping suspected
The Russian Olympic Committee (‘ROC’) may be stripped of its gold medal won in the team figure skating event after being caught in another Winter Olympics doping controversy. This comes after the event’s medal ceremony, was suddenly delayed due to the need for “legal consultations,” it had been conf…
Sports Law CombineUpdated: Olympic figure skating ceremony delayed, ROC doping suspected
Media reporting has named 15-year old Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva as the athlete caught up in a positive doping test that has delayed the medal ceremony for the team event in Beijing. However, various anti-doping instruments that apply to athletes in the Winter Games show a cascading…
Sports Law Combine
Weekend Roundup: Valieva free to compete, strong reaction from critics, IOC
Whilst the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is free to compete in the individual event in Beijing, critics have lashed the decision to not impose a provisional suspension whilst the cloud of a positive doping test hovers over her, while the IOC has sought to change the individual event’s rules
Sports Law Combine
Russian Olympic Committee launch CAS appeal against Youth Olympic exclusion
The Russian Olympic Committee (‘ROC’) has filed an appeal over the decision to prevent Russian athletes from competing in March’s Winter European Youth Olympic Festival, in another Russian appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) against a sanction excluding Russian athletes over the ong…
Sports Law CombineWeekly newsletters
Weekly Combine: Newsletter
In case you missed our latest articles, here are Sports Law Combine’s published articles from the past seven days. Another basketballer rescinds contract due to anti-vax stance FIFA releases disciplinary and ethics report Pt 1 Qatar 2022 may mandate player vaccines International Basketballer release…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: CAS releases bi-annual Bulletin and more
This week the Court of Arbitration for Sport (‘CAS’) published online the latest edition of their bi-annual Bulletin for the second half of 2021. The Bulletin provides updates on the Court’s operations, journal articles and a rare influx of important decisions of CAS disputes. In the Bulletin’s edit…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: focus on Beijing Games myriad issues
The focus of the sporting world has shifted to the Beijing Winter Olympics, commencing with Friday’s Opening Ceremony. However, in addition to the usual slate of issues that plague Olympic Games organisers, legal considerations about human rights, security, boycotts, COVID-19 and doping have oversha…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: ROC doping violation confirmed, Interpol Bi-weekly review and more
In Interpol’s Match-Fixing Taskforce latest bi-weekly Bulletin detailing integrity issues in global sports, nefarious betting and gambling practices were highlighted as a focus across several jurisdictions. The Bulletin reports on the dark side of illegal gambling operations in Macau and the Philip…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: As the Winter Olympics come to an end
Whilst the Winter Olympics are coming to a close over the weekend, the fallout from the Kamila Valieva scandal, despite her 4th place finish, continues to gather momentum and the legal process will likely not see a resolution for many months. Another incident of note from Games this week involved
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: Russia set to lose Champions League final over Ukraine invasion
UEFA is poised to move the lucrative Champions League final away from the Russian city of St. Petersburg to sanction the Russian government for escalating military conflict in Ukraine. UEFA has called an extraordinary general meeting of the Executive Committee to be held Friday (10am Central Europ…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: All eyes on Russian sanctions
It has been a fortnight dominated by Russia in the news for its extensive sanctions leading to its isolation in the sporting world, following the events in Ukraine which followed on from- but were quickly enveloped by recent events- the Russian doping scandal from the Winter Olympics. The world reac…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: Worry over UK Minister Wimbledon/Medvedev comments
A UK Minister who said Russian tennis players- including world-number-1 Daniil Medvedev- may be kept out of Wimbledon if they do not provide anti-Putin “assurances”, has drawn a response from scholars, policy experts and ex-players alike suggesting that is a step too far in punishing athletes who ha…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: ANZSLA sports law conference underway
Many of Australia and New Zealand’s top sports lawyers, administrators, students and more have converged upon Byron Bay for the annual conference conducted by the Australia and New Zealand Sports Law Association (‘ANZSLA’). The conference is ANZSLA’s first since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: Two more coaches join Brian Flores race claim
The race-based class action complaint filed by former NFL head coach Brian Flores has taken a step forward with two more black coaches joining the action before the United States District Court- Southern District of New York. The two men, Steve Wilks, who coached the Arizona Cardinals for only one
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: Focus on transgender participation intensifies
Across the Easter holidays, key issues relating to the participation of Russian athletes in international sport, world game disputes and transgender athletes continue to dominate the headlines. Sports Law Combine’s recent article on transgender athletes and the growing trend of conservative politici…
Sports Law Combine
Weekly Combine Newsletter: F1 returns to Miami beating legal hurdles on the way
Formula 1 will return to Miami this weekend for the first race in Florida since 1959 after overcoming several legal challenges, obstacles and pandemic issues that could have prevented the event at Hard Rock Stadium from racing ahead. As reported last year, homeowner associations and locals, who desc…
Sports Law Combine