Proportionality of athlete sanctions - A review of the Nick Lindahl match-fixing case

In December 2017, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) heard the appeal of Professional Tennis Integrity Officers (PTIOs) v. Nick Lindahl1, concerning the appropriate sanction for a match-fixing charge brought by the PTIOs (who form the Tennis Integrity Unit, TIU) against former professional tennis player, Mr. Nick Lindahl. The case attracted significant media interest, as Mr. Lindahl and his co-conspirators were also subjected to criminal proceedings in Australia. It is also noteworthy for sports lawyers in light of its broader relevance to the issue of proportionality of athlete sanctions.

This article reviews the case, and looks specifically at:

• Background to events

• Summary of submissions to the CAS

• CAS findings and author’s analysis

  • What was an “appropriate” sanction under the relevant rules?

  • What matters should properly be taken in to account?

  • Was the sanction in this case proportionate?

  • The role fines should play in proportionate sanctioning

• Conclusion

The author represented Mr Nick Lindahl in the appeal. Any quotes from the award that are underlined is emphasis added by the author.

Comments (1)

• Josep F. Vandellos Alamilla

  • 10 March 2018 at 09:08
  • #

  Great article Kevin!

  reply