U.S. squash athlete Olivia Fiechter accepts public warning

New maternity regulations provide female players with more opportunities

IPC President: Paralympics needed more than ever in 2021

IIHF Council reviews Minsk/Riga report

US Senate passes Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act but WADA expresses concern

FIFA moves CWC and cancels women’s youth World Cups

FIS partners with ITA and UMIT Tyrol to build and implement clean sport education plans

WADA statement on U.S. Senate’s passing of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act

AFC Social Responsibility Committee praises Asian football’s COVID-19 response

Kuala Lumpur: The response by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Associations (MA) and Regional Associations (RA) was celebrated and supported by the AFC’s Social Responsibility Committee at their second meeting of the 2019-2023 cycle, chaired by Zaw Zaw.

Athlete Groups and Anti-Doping Leaders join forces to call for further reforms of WADA

Athlete representatives from 14 countries join forces with 14 leading National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) to collectively call on meaningful reform at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). As individual organisations, we have repeatedly submitted formal proposals for change. Now we speak collectively to elevate our call for more independence, transparency, and accountability at WADA.

Covid-19, another reason to give athletes a seat at the table in anti-doping

A few days ago, the German Sport University in Cologne presented the results of a survey that demonstrated the financial impact that Covid-19 has had on elite German athletes. The research team showed that on average, German Olympic and Paralympic athletes have lost 25% of their regular income since the begin of the pandemic. One can only assume that athletes worldwide are facing similar impacts and the situation is expected to worsen next year.

Football players union adds to pressure for Premier League to allow five substitutions

Pressure is growing on the Premier League to allow five substitutions during matches with the chief medical officer of players’ union FIFPRO calling the decision “peculiar”.

FIFPRO statement: emergency period workload risks player health

FIFPRO notes the accumulated workload for players in the first quarter of European football’s 2020-2021 season and the mental and physical burden they are facing until 2022. The current handling of the match calendar during this emergency period lacks sufficient considerations for their health, well-being and performance and requires an urgent and ongoing revision by competition organisers.

FIFA publishes first annual Players’ Status report

FIFA has today published for the first time the annual report of the Players’ Status Department.

IPC provides global reference on accessibility for Olympic and Paralympic organisers

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has published its Accessibility Guide to support the staging of Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as other events to promote inclusion. 

IPC to create and support Refugee Paralympic Team at Tokyo

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has confirmed plans to send up to six athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as part of a Refugee Paralympic Team (RPT). The IPC will work with its commercial partners and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to create awareness of the plight faced by refugee athletes and send a message of hope to the almost 80 million forcibly displaced worldwide.

NHL cancels 2021 Minnesota Winter Classic, All-Star Weekend

The NHL won't take it outside and open 2021 with the Winter Classic in Minnesota but still hopes to get the hockey season going around the start of the new year.

Second meeting of Concussion Expert Group recommends trials of additional permanent substitutions

Constructive discussions and recommendations concluded today’s second meeting of the Concussion Expert Group (CEG), consisting of medical concussion experts, team doctors, player representatives, coaches, competition organisers and refereeing and Laws of the Game experts. The meeting was chaired by Jonathan Ford, the Chief Executive of the Football Association of Wales and a member of The IFAB Board of Directors.

FIFA launches Executive Programme in Anti-Doping

Today, FIFA launched the Executive Programme in Anti-Doping, which provides an in-depth analysis of the main regulatory, institutional and scientific aspects of anti-doping in sport.

The importance of football for refugees and asylum seekers

Dr Rahela Jurković was one of six recipients of a UEFA research grant for 2019/20 for a project titled ‘Football and refugees: cultural anthropology of the Balkan corridor’.

COVID-19: Time for Sport to ‘Build Back Better’

World Players Association sets guiding principles to support the recovery and rebuilding of the global sport industry

Players, female leaders and greater global representation on interim World Rugby committees

Rassie Erasmus, Melodie Robinson, Conrad Smith and Bryan Habana are among a host of leading players and coaches who have been appointed to World Rugby interim committees.

WADA publishes new Guidelines for Education

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce the publication of new Guidelines for Education to support Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) in their implementation of the new International Standard for Education (ISE), which comes into force on 1 January 2021.

IOC must join with Belarusian athletes to ensure human rights and sport are protected

Arrests, threats and dismissals amount to ongoing violations of the Olympic Charter by Belarusian President, who also heads the National Olympic Committee, along with his son

IPC and The Valuable 500 to partner to drive disability inclusion

FIFA steps up protection of female players and football coaches

IIHF Council announces more cancellations

Athlete Advisory: Key Changes to the World Anti-Doping Code

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act has “raised some concerns in anti-doping” - UKAD Chairman, Trevor Pearce

All qualifying matches played thanks to CAF health protocol

Ukraine's UEFA Nations League fixture with Switzerland cannot take place

IOC President and new Japanese Prime Minister Suga "determined" to deliver safe Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

FIFPRO survey finds women footballers have been “routinely overlooked” during the Covid-19 pandemic

Increase in players' lists, rules in case of positive COVID-19 tests for players

In accordance with the guidelines of the FIFA and CAF health protocols against CoVID-19 and for the resumption of competitions, players testing positive for the virus are not allowed to participate in matches.

FA Chairman Greg Clarke issues statement following resignation

As a person who loves football and has given decades of service to our game, it is right that I put the interests of football first.

The future of athletes in the decision-making process in sport to be discussed at the LawInSport 6th Annual Conference 2020

The future of athletes in the decision-making process in sport panel takes place on 12 November 2020 at 2pm GMT/9am EST.  The panel will discuss athlete activism and empowerment, looking at what the future role of athletes in decision-making processes looks like.  Athletes' views have often been a second or tertiary consideration, particularly where it’s not mandated via a collective-bargaining agreement.  But have recent global events including the black lives matter movement and campaigns against the IOC’s Rule 50 started to change the status quo?

Statement: AFC Champions League in Qatar

FIFPRO is disappointed and concerned by the lack of consultation of professional footballers in the scheduling of the AFC Champions League in Qatar and the planning of COVID-19 protocols. These matters have implications for their mental and physical health as well as their participation in domestic leagues.

AFC strengthens Safeguarding commitment in landmark webinar

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) ambitions to ensure the highest standards of Safeguarding and the protection of children and young people across the Continent marked a landmark step forward today with the launch of the ground-breaking AFC-FIFA Safeguarding Orientation Webinar.

Board of Appeal of Classification adds two new members

The Board of Appeal of Classification (BAC) – the independent body that considers, and where deemed appropriate, conducts hearings regarding athlete classification appeals – has added Jennifer Oghenewaire from Nigeria and Felipe Cárdenas from Colombia to its panel of members.

England men against Barbarians match cancelled

As part of its ongoing investigation into a breach of the COVID code of conduct that took place on 21 October, the RFU has today discovered there was an earlier undisclosed breach that took place on 20 October when a number of Barbarians players left the hotel bubble without permission and without informing organisers about their whereabouts.

IBSF creates a pathway for female athletes to return to competition after maternity leave

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) announced at the virtual 2020 IBSF Congress that it has granted special exceptions for those returning to competition from maternity leave.

Temporary suspension of UEFA matches in Armenia and Azerbaijan

Considering the tense security situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the UEFA Executive Committee decided today that UEFA club and national team competition matches will not take place in Armenia and Azerbaijan until further notice.

Genoa 2020 European Championships cancelled

The Genoa 2020 European Para Dance Sport Championships has been cancelled.

RFU to allow transgender women to continue playing domestic women’s rugby in England

The Rugby Football Union will allow transgender women to keep playing women’s rugby at the domestic level and decided it needed more scientific evidence before implementing a ban like World Rugby has.

FIFPRO publishes covid-19 recovery recommendations

FIFPRO is today publishing a set of recommendations to rebuild and strengthen the professional football industry during the pandemic, at the same time as protecting jobs, careers and the wellbeing of players.

England & FA pledge action for new Kick It Out campaign

We have today pledged our support for Kick It Out's new campaign encouraging people across the football community to take action in the battle against discrimination.

FIFPRO assists Nigerian footballer's family in claim for negligence

FIFPRO lawyers are assisting the family of the late professional footballer Chineme Martins to pursue a claim for negligence.

IOC strengthens investigation into possible political interference in Belarus

During its virtual meeting today, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) decided to strengthen its investigation into the compliance of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Republic of Belarus with the Olympic Charter.