The NBA returned to action in July with teams currently in the process of competing in eight regular season matches before the playoffs commence. COVID-19 The return to action has been full of drama on the court and has been, without a doubt, a success. In the most recent round of COVID testing, all 343 … Continue Reading
Sports Shorts previously commented on the FIFA guidelines that were recently published to address some of the practical issues that arose as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. FIFA has now published temporary amendments to its FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (“RSTP“), which are binding. FIFA also published recommendations in response … Continue Reading
On 12 March, the NBA announced its decision to suspend the current season. The COVID-19 crisis was escalating in the USA and a number of NBA stars had tested positive for the virus. It came at an unfortunate time, perhaps the most interesting period of the regular season, as teams battled for top spots and … Continue Reading
On Tuesday, FIFA published a set of guidelines to address some of the practical issues that have arisen as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. The key areas of focus were: (1) expiring agreements; (2) frustrated agreements; and (3) registration periods. A number of other issues were also considered in brief. It is important … Continue Reading
A new and historic agreement has been reached between the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), which includes higher salaries, improved benefits and better work and travel conditions. Following the 2018 season, the WNBPA exercised its option to opt out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the … Continue Reading
Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe dropped, what is known as a Woj Bomb, last week as they announced that the NBA is in high level discussions with the NBPA (the National Basketball Players Association) and broadcasting partners concerning “sweeping and dramatic changes to the league calendar that include a reseeding of the four conference finalists, … Continue Reading
The importance of keeping certain information confidential in sport should not be underestimated. Knowledge of even the smallest piece of information relating to an opposing club or rival’s team selection, tactics, recruitment targets or commercial arrangements can give the club in receipt of such information a significant advantage both on and off the pitch.… Continue Reading
For some people, the idea of watching someone else play a video game holds no appeal whatsoever. However, watching eSports is becoming an increasingly popular activity for millennials and Generation Z with viewing figures rivalling some traditional sports. As the audience for eSports grows, so do the revenues created by the industry. According to recent … Continue Reading
“The richest athlete contract in sports history”. That is how ESPN described the deal between boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and streaming service DAZN, which is worth a reported $365 million for 11 fights. The agreement with Canelo sits alongside a broader “exclusive” partnership between DAZN and Canelo’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, which is due to … Continue Reading
In recent weeks, the media has reacted rather dramatically to the decision handed down by the Brussel’s Court of Appeal on 28 August 2018, in a case brought by Belgian football club RFC Seraing (Seraing). The precise impact of the decision remains to be seen although it is unlikely that this represents the fall of … Continue Reading
The 2018 NBA Draft is around the corner – taking place at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn on 21 June. The Draft Lottery and the Draft Combine have now taken place, leaving us waiting in anticipation for what is in store on 21 June. The draft system works in the interests of balancing the playing … Continue Reading
The first of January saw the opening of the 2017/18 winter transfer window. Clubs have until 11pm on 31 January to conclude their business for this season. As ever, transfer windows bring with them much speculation about potential moves and the terms of new contracts signed by players. Speculation that Lionel Messi would leave Barcelona … Continue Reading
In June and July, Sports Shorts considered whether the law has any business punishing athletes for violent offences committed in the course of sport. This article asks the inverse: should sports teams and governing bodies wield any power to penalise athletes for their actions outside of sport – can this ever be justified and are … Continue Reading
Earlier this month, Sports Shorts considered the Neymar transfer saga with an in-depth look at the law surrounding buy-out clauses and a more specific post on penalty clauses in contracts entered into by Spanish clubs and minors. Neymar, backed by Paris Saint-Germain, was recently able to buy himself out of his contract with FC Barcelona … Continue Reading
Last month, Sports Shorts wrote about the pay dispute between the Australian cricket governing body, Cricket Australia (CA), and the players. At that time, deadlock prevailed and the Australian players were refusing to play as they were effectively unemployed when the old Memorandum of Understanding (which governed matters such as pay) expired. At the beginning of this … Continue Reading
Since part 1 of this blog series was published, the Neymar transfer saga moved to a denouement. Overnight, FC Barcelona were reported to have accepted the buy-out fee and today (4 August 2017), Neymar was officially unveiled as a Paris Saint-Germain player. In the case of Neymar, the inclusion of a buy-out clause in the … Continue Reading
It has been rumbling on for some time, stories here and there in the press suggesting that negotiations regarding pay in a sporting context were going to come to a head and potentially turn into an ugly dispute. It is not unusual to see such stories in sport, particularly given the salaries some sports stars … Continue Reading
On Tuesday 13 June 2017, the Golden State Warriors won their second NBA Playoff final in three years, with Kevin Durant winning the first of his career. Despite the Warriors being way ahead on games, the super star line-ups meant that dull moments were going to be hard to come by. No matter where your … Continue Reading
On 2 February 2017, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”) issued a media release in which it confirmed that it had upheld the FIFA decision by which the football player Hakan Çalhanoğlu (the “Player”) was banned from playing for four months after breaching the terms of an employment contract that he had entered into … Continue Reading
When a professional athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance, the consequences can be severe. The athlete may be banned (either for a set period or for the remainder of their lifetime), they may have their results revoked, they may face the imposition of a financial penalty (together with any financial loss that occurs as … Continue Reading
Last month, my colleague Rosie Duckworth wrote a great blog about the Denny Solomona situation following his ‘retirement’ from rugby league to pick up a contract with rugby union side, Sale Sharks. Rosie referenced another brewing situation and now the Johan Goosen story is simmering towards boiling point. Goosen is/was a South African international rugby … Continue Reading
The most recent clash between Rugby League and Union, centred on New Zealand born winger Denny Solomona, came to a head last week when, on 13 December, Solomona formally announced his retirement from Rugby League (leaving club Castleford two years before the expiry of his contract) for a move to Union club Sale Sharks on a … Continue Reading
