While the Armstrong scandal, the suspension of cyclist, Frank Schleck, and the recent slew of Russian athletes receiving doping bans¹ demonstrates that the familiar culprits (cyclists, track and field athletes, swimmers, former Eastern bloc athletes) continue to engage in foul practices, recent developments in the doping world indicate that less familiar suspects are increasingly in the frame.

Employment law specialist Richard Williams examines the legal issues surrounding the hot topic of managerial changes in football. In this second and final part of this article Richard will be explaining the legal operation of release fees and the different ways in which managers approach resignation.

Employment law specialist Richard Williams examines the legal issues surrounding the hot topic of managerial changes in football. In this first part he takes a look at the legality of a new manager seeking to bring with him from his former club his players and/or backroom staff.

In 1995 the case of Jean-Marc Bosman came before the European Court of Justice and changed the face of football in Europe. The case involved (amongst other issues) a challenge to the legality of the transfer system for football players. The ECJ found in favour of Bosman and against his club, RFC Liege, the Belgium FA and UEFA, determining that transfer fees for out of contract players were illegal where a player was moving between one EU nation and another.   

In this article Takuya Yamazaki, private practice lawyer and member of FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber, provides a fascinating insight into the development of professional sports players’ rights in Japan focusing on baseball and football. Part 1 provides the legal background before detailing the legal hurdles Japanese baseball players have had to overcome.

Much has been written since the FA handed down a 10 game ban about the proportionality of response and the impartiality of the independent panel set up to investigate the Suarez incident. However, it is worth taking a moment to consider the political and commercial consequences of Suarez’s latest transgression.

With the imminent introduction of Goal-Line Technology by FIFA and the Premier League Dr Marco Del Fabro, attorney-at-law, PROBST ATTORNEYS, Switzerland poses the question, “will Goal-Line Technology suffice?”.

I recently advised Sheffield United FC (SUFC) on its successful defence of a training compensation claim before the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC). SUFC faced a significant training compensation claim due to its acquisition of a young international football player from France.

It is undisputed that, as a general principle, training compensation must be paid to a player’s training club when a player signs his first professional contract with another club and on each further transfer until the end of the football season of his 23rd birthday (Article 20 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players 2010 (Regulations)).

Carrying on form the points raised in the first blog of this series, it is important for individuals with a vested interest in their brand identity to educate themselves as to the potential pitfalls of inappropriate use of social media. However, sometimes the issue can go further than inter club politics and player frustration.

Simon Pentol, a criminal law barrister at 25 Bedford Row, shares his views on the infamous Suarez bite. Should charges have been pressed against Suarez? Did Liverpool FC take the right action after the incident? Watch to find out.

While the issue of protecting the club’s image from negative social media postings is considered in some of my other posts on LawInSport, one area which remains under analysed is what this means for the individual as a brand in their own right.

Here’s a hypothetical question: Do I, as a Tottenham Hotspur fan, want to see Andre Villas-Boas ‘resting’ Gareth Bale and other key players in a game against Tranmere Rovers in an early round of the Capital One Cup? The answer to that question is, yes.  The reason for this answer is simple: it is crucial that the club can squad rotate for more important competitions (and I happen to be a Rovers fan as well!). 

The Supreme Administration Court of the Czech Republic has ruled in its recent judgment that a professional football player may perform his duties to the club under a business contract (i.e., as an entrepreneur) rather than an employment contract.