Women’s football is firmly in the spotlight this summer. Following a record-breaking domestic season, where viewership and live audiences for the Women’s Super League (WSL) hit an all time high, the expanded World Cup format is showcasing the ever-increasing quality and strength in depth of the women’s game. Despite a faltering build up for the … Continue Reading
The 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball national championship averaged 9.9 million viewers, becoming the most-watched women’s college basketball game and ESPN platforms’ most-viewed college basketball game (men’s or women’s) on record, and it was not even playing in a prime-time slot. This shows a tidal shift in the interest and growing opportunity in women’s sports, and … Continue Reading
On 23 February 2023, the English High Court ruled that amateur rugby player Natasha King had been negligent when she executed a “tackle” on opponent Dani Czernuszka “without any regard for the well-being or safety of the [latter] and intent only on exacting revenge” during a women’s developmental match.[1] As such, Ms King (the Defendant) … Continue Reading
This article was written for and first published by LawInSport. The original version is available to view here During Australia’s 2022 National Rugby League season, seven players from the Manly Sea Eagles, a team in the National Rugby League competition, refused to play in a jersey that featured rainbow trim. The design, called the “Everyone … Continue Reading
Following on from the growing popularity and success of the Women’s Super League and the great form of the England’s Women’s Team, there is a real sense of anticipation and excitement ahead of the UEFA Women’s European Championship finals, to be kicked off this Wednesday by England’s Lionesses versus Austria. In late April, the UK … Continue Reading
In November, FIFA announced that its Stakeholders Committee (the “FSC”) had approved reforms aimed at strengthening employment rights for female players. These reforms offer necessary protections, such as guaranteed maternity leave, to all female football players playing for a club that is regulated by FIFA. At this stage the changes are only ‘proposed’, but they … Continue Reading
Back in June, Sport Shorts considered the premature conclusion of the Premier 15s season, which was rendered null and void as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following a near seven month period without any rugby for the elite of the women’s game, the newly branded 2020/21 Allianz Premier 15s campaign got underway on 10 … Continue Reading
Unlike the men’s competition, which is set to restart in August following a COVID-19 enforced suspension, the top tier of English women’s rugby, the Tyrells Premier 15s (“Premier 15s”), was declared null and void back in March. Regulation 22.9 of the Rugby Football Union (“RFU”) Regulations brought the season to a premature end: “The Tyrrells … Continue Reading
In a pre-lockdown world, momentum was the watch-word for women’s sport. 2019 was a year to remember. The FIFA Women’s World Cup in France saw a shift in perception of women’s football, with the level of skill and entertainment on the pitch gaining new levels of respect and interest. In turn, the sponsorship, prize money … Continue Reading
On Friday, May 1, 2020, Judge Gary Klausner of the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted partial summary judgment to U.S. Soccer in a pay equity class action lawsuit brought by members of the U.S. women’s national soccer team. In his ruling, Judge Klausner dismissed the U.S. women’s argument that … 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
As recently mentioned on Sports Shorts, the spotlight on the gender pay gap has been amplified following the fourth World Cup win by the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (“WNT”). In this post, we provide a brief summary of the recent class action lawsuit filed by members of the WNT against the United States Soccer … Continue Reading
The gender pay gap debate continues in business as it has for a number of years. Confusion surrounding the topic remains widespread with many conflating it with equal pay and others denying its existence entirely. Companies in the UK are now publishing their latest gender pay gap figures and the data reveals that men are … Continue Reading
On 1 May 2019, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”) delivered its ruling in the requests for arbitration by Caster Semenya and Athletics South Africa (“ASA”) against the International Association of Athletics Federation (the “IAAF”). CAS dismissed the requests, upholding the validity of the new IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences … Continue Reading
Last month, in recognition of International Women’s Day, Sports Shorts celebrated recent successes in women’s sport (apologies to Dina Asher Smith who wasn’t mentioned… there were too many examples to choose from!). While we celebrated the achievements of women in sport, we also recognised that work still needs to be done to improve the overall … Continue Reading
Last Friday was International Women’s Day – a day where women are celebrated in countries around the world. In March alone, UK sportswomen have more than earned recognition for their achievements. Laura Muir retained her European 1,500m and 3,000m titles, beating the 31-year-old British indoor mile record by 5 seconds at the European Indoor Championships, … Continue Reading
“I don’t know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly, and they wouldn’t be taken seriously.” “I don’t know if they’ve got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel.” Regrettably, these inflammatory comments were not made by loose-lipped pub-goers, but by former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone and International Motorsports … Continue Reading
The first round of rugby union’s Autumn International’s took place last weekend with victories for a free-flowing Ireland team, an all-attacking Scotland team and a somewhat lacklustre England team. Wales were the only home nation to lose to an in form Australia. Whilst the rugby fest in the men’s game continues over the next three … Continue Reading
Yesterday saw Squire Patton Boggs lawyers compete in the first combined Law Society rugby sevens and netball tournament, sponsored by Marston Holdings, in the glorious sunshine at the Richmond Athletic Ground. With the sevens team completing the grand slam of City Sevens and Law Society Sevens titles in 2016, hopes were high for another strong … Continue Reading
Saturday evening saw a familiar clash between two rugby giants, as England faced up to New Zealand. Less familiar was the fact that this prime time televised match was the women’s world cup final and it was England’s Roses and New Zealand’s Black Ferns who captivated audiences of 2.6 million (a substantially higher viewership than … Continue Reading
On Sunday 23 April 2017, Liverpool Ladies Football Club won their FA WSL Spring Series opener 4-1 against Yeovil Town Ladies FC. It was a strong start for the Liverpool outfit in the WSL’s one-off competition (being held to bring the FA WSL league fixtures in line with the men’s calendar). The visitors blasted four … Continue Reading
In recent weeks, salaries in women’s sports have been featuring frequently in the headlines. In the US, female ice hockey players are locked in heated negotiations with USA Hockey (the IOC-recognised governing body of organised amateur ice hockey in the USA) over wages, with the players threatening to boycott the upcoming wold championship if an … Continue Reading
With 80.2% of votes in favour (498 of 621 votes cast) Muirfield has today announced that it will, for the first time, admit women as members of the historic golf club. Founded in 1744, the famous East Lothian links course, considered one of the best in the World, and home to the Honourable Company of … Continue Reading
8th March, is International Women’s Day (“IWD”). Observed in one form or another since the early 1900s, IWD is a “a collective day of global celebration and a call for gender parity”. IWD can be traced back to 1908, when a group of women marched in New York, demanding better pay and voting rights. Today, … Continue Reading
