Sports Law News Roundtable - rugby concussion litigation -E2
Sports investigations: the risky business of deleting phone apps
Rugby Union player Brown banned for four years
Rugby union player Kurt Brown has been banned from all sport for a period of four years following a first Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).
England Rugby and Gilbert Rugby extend partnership
The extension will see Gilbert provide their product exclusively to all levels of the game including all competitions run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), including dedicated provision for the England Women’s team and Allianz Premier 15s.
World Rugby approves updated transgender participation guidelines
World Rugby has approved updated transgender participation guidelines following a comprehensive, collaborative and transparent review of its existing guidance.
Rugby World Cup and Societe Generale extend successful worldwide partnership
World Rugby has announced that Societe Generale has renewed its long-standing and impactful worldwide partnership of Rugby World Cup for the 2023 event in France.
World Rugby appoints Nigel Cass as Competitions Director as Mark Egan bids farewell
World Rugby has announced the appointment of Nigel Cass as Competitions Director, heading up a new Competitions Department within an organisational restructure of the rugby functions of the international federation following the confirmation earlier in the year that Mark Egan will leave the organisation after 18 years to pursue new challenges.
Marjorie Enya and María Catalina Palacio Gaviria join World Rugby and Sudamérica Rugby Councils
The growth of women in rugby in the region has been noticeable both in playing numbers as in the positioning of key women in high places.
Brazilian-born Marjorie Enya (pictured) and Colombian María Catalina Palacio Gaviria were amongst the initial scholarship recipients in 2018 and focused their scholarship on personal development to give back to the game.
A statement from Bill Sweeney, RFU CEO
After the announcement that trials for spectators to return to sporting events from 1 October would now be cancelled because of a rise in coronavirus cases, it could be a number of months before fans return to stadiums. The COVID-19 alert level has moved to 4, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially."
Charles Tyrwhitt team up with England Rugby as official formalwear partner
Charles Tyrwhitt will collaborate with England Rugby to tailor an exclusive collection of bespoke formalwear to dress the men’s and women’s senior squads.
Autumn Nations Cup to be broadcast on Amazon Prime and Channel 4
The Autumn Nations Cup will be the first competitive Autumn international tournament and the first full tournament after a six month break for international rugby.
Owen Farrell receives five-match suspension
Farrell was shown a red card by referee Christophe Ridley in the 61st minute of the match between Saracens and Wasps on Saturday 5 September 2020. This was for a dangerous tackle on Wasps’ Charlie Atkinson, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.13.
Rugby Union players Stafford and Kay banned from sport
Rugby Union players Joseph Stafford and Rupert Kay have been banned from all sport, following the commission of two separate Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). Joseph Stafford has been banned for three and a half years for Evading Sample Collection, while Rupert Kay has been banned for two years for Complicity.
World Rugby announces $2.5million for Olympic qualified sevens teams but also cancels two tournaments
World Rugby has announced that $2.5million will be allocated amongst the Rugby Sevens teams qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in order to cope with the disruption to the annual calendar after two rounds of the World Sevens Series were cancelled.
RFU extends footwear partnership with Adidas
Commencing from 1 September 2020, the extension will run until the end of the 2023/24 season having originally teamed up with England Rugby in 2016.
Professional Game Board agrees player welfare initiatives
The COVID-19 pandemic required changes to this season and next agreed by the PGB to cover Premiership and England matches. The player welfare initiatives will be under constant review and monitored weekly.
Regulation 8 national team representation (COVID-19 residency criteria adjustment)
The World Rugby Executive Committee approved an adjustment to Regulation 8 (eligibility) in July to combat the exceptional disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic on the necessary residency criteria for players wishing to qualify for a national union.
Sports integrity (betting and financial corruption) – the year in review 2019/20
Sports disputes and disciplinary procedures – the year in review 2019/20
A detailed review of disciplinary proceedings at the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup (Part 2)
How player insurance works in Rugby Union and the modern challenges facing insurers
Sports law in 2020 - key issues to watch in Asia & Australia
Sports law in 2020 - key issues to watch in Africa & Middle East
Key sports law cases and developments of 2019 – Asia & Australia
Key sports law cases and developments of 2019 – Europe
Disciplinary update: Andre Esterhuizen and Stuart Townsend
UKAD’s latest figures show substantial increase in testing activity
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has today released its quarterly testing report for July - September 2020, covering the period of gradual return of competitive sport to the UK following nationwide lockdown.
Rugby League player Lea banned for four years
Rugby league player Andrew Lea has been banned from all sport for four years
following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence of prohibited
substances.
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.
Rugby Union player Perry banned for four years
Rugby union player Arran Perry has been banned from all sport for a period of four years following a first Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the use of a banned substance.
RFU and Allianz announce landmark partnership for the Premier 15s
The Rugby Football Union has today announced Allianz Insurance as the new Insurance Partner of England Rugby and the title partner for the Premier 15s, with the official name of the competition being ‘Allianz Premier 15s’.
Rugby community helping Beirut to rebuild following explosion
Members of Lebanon’s rugby-playing community have spoken about their experiences of last month’s explosion in Beirut, revealing how they have rallied around to help the city rebuild.
Rugby Union player receives sanction
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of Rugby Australia’s Anti-Doping Judicial Panel to impose a two-year ban on athlete Aidan Leeming for the presence and use of a prohibited substance.
Former Australian Rules football player awarded A$1.4m for brain damage suffered from concussions
Former Australian Rules football player Shaun Smith has been awarded A$1.4m as an insurance pay-out for brain damage that was suffered as a result from repeated concussion sustained in matches.
RFU and RPA confirm new elite player squad agreement
As a result of the challenges posed by COVID-19, a one-year arrangement has been reached with the players accepting a 25% reduction in remuneration compared to the previous year.
Piutau appeal dismissed
Bristol Bears' Siale Piutau appeared before an online independent disciplinary panel on Thursday 10 September. He appealed his three match suspension, which was given for punching or striking Worcester Warriors' Andrew Kitchener contrary to World Rugby Law 9.12.
Kitchener and Piutau accept disciplinary charges
Kitchener was shown a red card by referee Wayne Barnes in the 79th minute of the match between Worcester Warriors and Bristol Bears on Friday 4 September 2020. Piutau was cited by independent citing commissioner Tony Diprose following the same match. In both cases this was for punching or striking, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.12.
Two players banned for anti-doping rule violations
Mr Stafford was charged with an ADRV of Evading Sample collection in breach of World Rugby Regulation 21.2.3 (Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection). He has been banned from all sports for three and a half years, from 16 July 2019 to 15 January 2023.
Worcester’s Nanai and Wasps’ Fekitoa receive suspensions
Nanai of Worcester Warriors appeared before a virtual independent disciplinary panel last night. He was shown a red card by referee Christophe Ridley in the 19th minute of the match between Worcester Warriors and Gloucester on Saturday 15 August 2020. This was for a dangerous charge on Gloucester's Jonny May, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.16.
Sudamérica Rugby appoints Bárbara Pichot as first-ever Women’s Rugby Coordinator
After a regional search and interview process, Sudamérica Rugby has hired Bárbara Pichot to lead a new women’s rugby project in the region, joining as new Women’s Rugby Coordinator.
IWRF President Richard Allcroft on Tokyo 2020 and the future of international wheelchair rugby
International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) President, Richard Allcroft, talks about the sport’s plans for expansion, improvements in governance and developing its relationship with World Rugby ahead of what promises to be, in his words, “an interesting 2021”.
England rugby launch new headwear range with new era
The debut collection will be available to buy at www.neweracap.eu and www.englandrugbystore.com from 7 August 2020. The collection, which features the iconic red rose emblem, will give rugby fans a number of popular headwear styles to choose from including the 9FORTY adjustable, 9FIFTY stretch snap and a seasonal offering of knitwear.
Sport and commercial law – the year in review 2019/20
Can sports clubs compel players to return to play and waive health and safety liability?
A detailed review of disciplinary proceedings at Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup 2019 (Part 1)
Lord Dyson, one of the leading lawyers of his generation, shares his perspective on sports law - E87
Sports law in 2020 - key issues to watch in Europe
Sports law in 2020 - key issues to watch in UK & Ireland
Key sports law cases and developments of 2019 – Africa & Middle East
Key sports law cases and developments of 2019 - UK & Ireland
