UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) v Marc Shackley
When
For the 2022/2023 the Adult Male Future Competitions Structure will see a change to League Cups and Lower XVs from Level 3 and below.
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Future competition structure
FUTURE COMPETITION STRUCTURE
LawInSport Weekly News Recap - 26 November
Welcome to LawInSport’s weekly News Roundup. This roundup highlights this week’s top news pieces from across the world of sport.
For further updates, please visit our news section.
We hope you find this useful. If you have any related questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
RFU Annual Report published
Reported revenues for the year are £97m (£167m in previous year) and profit to reserves £20.5m (loss of £27.1m in prior year).
Revenues in the year were nearly £120m less than pre-COVID forecasts with an underlying loss to reserves of £21.3m (c£30m worse than pre-COVID forecasts).
Future competition structure
World Rugby and International Rugby Players launch global brain health education campaign
- New Brain Health Initiative reflects commitment to educate and support current and former elite players who might be concerned about their wellbeing and brain health
- Global initiative includes new videos featuring leading independent experts outlining 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia and how rugby can play a positive role in reducing many of these
- Campaign launched at World Rugby Medical Commission Conference as part of World Rugby’s ongoing engagement with member unions, local healthcare authorities and brain health experts to advance player welfare across the rugby family
Midlands Hurricanes - new name for professional rugby league in the Midlands
The new name for professional rugby league in the Midlands.
A new project and club is set to launch this month developed by Coventry Bears owner Alan Robinson to ensure the continuation of the professional game and overcome current challenges facing Rugby League.
UK Government backs RFU World Cup 2025 bid
Findings from brain study released
- New study finds worse cognitive function in players aged 75+ with a history of multiple concussions
Retired male elite rugby union players aged 50+ who suffered three or more rugby-related concussions during their career have no worse average cognitive function than those who had experienced no, one or two concussions, according to a new study in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
Wigan Warriors to launch Wheelchair Rugby League team
Wigan Warriors are have announced the launch of a new Wheelchair team for 2022 and beyond.
The Warriors have applied to be part of the Betfred Wheelchair Super League for 2022 as part of the expansion plan of the league from six to eight teams for the upcoming season.
Expanding the NRL: financial and legal challenges (Part 1)
ChildFund Rugby works to tackle gender inequality in Oceania
ChildFund Rugby’s partnership with World Rugby in the build-up to and during Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan created an outstanding legacy for the region where thousands more Asian girls and women are active in the sport in a safer and more inclusive environment.
RFL response to new Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sport Guidance
The Rugby Football League welcome the Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sport Guidance which has today been launched by UK Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales, sportscotland and SportNI.
Players, unions and competitions support new guidelines for rugby contact training load
- Best-practice contact training load guidelines aim to reduce injury risk while maintaining or improving performance
- New guidelines set out advised weekly limits for full contact training (15 minutes), controlled contact (40 minutes) and live set piece (30 minutes) training
- Guidelines follow global consultation, including feedback from almost 600 players across elite men’s and women’s competitions, and input from leading strength and conditioning, medical and performance experts
- They will be underpinned by a review and research programme to drive continuous learning and improvement, and to encourage consistent application across the professional game
- Guidelines and follow-up research welcomed by players, national unions, global competitions
- Elite teams, including Leinster, Clermont Auvergne and Benetton Treviso, have signed up to a trial measuring their training and match contact using instrumented mouthguards to monitor effectiveness and inform future advancements
New Covid-19 strategy for Premiership Rugby
THE PROFESSIONAL Game Board (PGB) has today announced a new Covid-19 strategy that will incentivise players and management from the elite game in England to be fully vaccinated.
From today (Monday 13 September), the policy will allow Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Allianz Premier 15s or Championship Rugby clubs to relax some elements of the current Covid-related Minimum Operating Standards (MOS) once they reach a vaccination rate of 85% in both the player and staff groups.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) and commercial real estate and investment firm CBRE have renewed their partnership for another four years.
The agreement will see CBRE continue to provide property consultancy and advisory services, as well as significant upgrade and improvement works to Twickenham Stadium. These works include the replacement of the East Stand roof and the development of the RFU’s long-term sustainability and energy management strategy plus its facilities management services.
World Rugby partnering with unions and regions to grow the sport
- Participation is one of the three core pillars of World Rugby’s strategic plan launched in April
- Plan is focused on empowering the 128 member unions and six regions by increasing their capacity and capability
- Ambition to increase the total global playing population to over 10 million by 2025
- In line with strategic commitment to grow the women’s game, this plan aims to increase active female players by a further 10 per cent
- Successful Get into Rugby and Impact Beyond programmes to be expanded
Welfare-focused rugby law trials to be implemented globally
- Rugby united in its ongoing commitment to enhance welfare outcomes
- Five welfare-focused trials to be adopted globally from 1 August, 2021
- Truly collaborative process has involved players, coaches, competitions and medics
- Players and competitions welcome trial
- Outcomes will be evaluated in 2022 in inform decision on adoption into law
Key UK Travel & Immigration Rules For The Sports Industry During Covid-19
Katie Sadleir appointed new CGF Chief Executive Officer
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) are delighted to announce that Katie Sadleir has been appointed as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
The New Zealander will take up the position from her current role at World Rugby, where she is the General Manager of Women’s Rugby.
Toulouse home fixtures against Halifax and Batley cancelled
Toulouse Olympique’s home fixtures with Halifax Panthers and Batley Bulldogs, scheduled for 14 and 28 August respectively, have been cancelled.
Tribunal | Luke Gale
Luke Gale will serve a one match suspension following his appeal this evening (Wednesday 4 August) to an independent Operational Rules tribunal.
The Leeds Rhinos scrum-half was challenging a two-match suspension handed down by the RFL’s Match Review Panel for making contact with referee Chris Kendall during his side’s recent Betfred Super League match against Warrington Wolves.
Rugby league player Marc Shackley banned for four years
How To Approach ‘ESG Criteria’ When Hosting Major Sports Events
Legal Rights In Performance Data: Why Athletes Need To Dig Down For Data Mining
Key Sports Law Cases And Developments Of 2021 – UK & Ireland
World Rugby ups the pace of women's rugby with second phase of women's strategic plan
World Rugby has announced that it will increase the pace of women’s rugby development through the second phase of its 2017-25 strategic plan. The transformative “Accelerating the global development of women in rugby” plan reflects the international federation’s commitment to increasing competitiveness, player, fan and commercial interest, and further advancing women in rugby around the globe.
World Rugby statement: Dave Rennie and Rugby Australia
World Rugby can confirm that it has issued a written warning to Rugby Australia and Rugby Australia’s men’s 15s head coach Dave Rennie for comments made immediately after Australia’s final Autumn Nations Series match against Wales in Cardiff on 20 November.
Match officials are the backbone of the sport, and without them there is no game. World Rugby condemns any public criticism of their selection, performance or integrity which undermines or threatens their role, the trust-based coach-officials feedback process, and more importantly, the values that are at the heart of the sport and must be upheld.
Independent misconduct hearing update: Rassie Erasmus and SA Rugby withdraw appeals
SA Rugby and SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus have advised the independent misconduct committee and World Rugby that they have both withdrawn their notices of appeal to the misconduct decision and sanction issued by the independent disciplinary committee on 17 November, 2021.
Independent misconduct hearing update: Rassie Erasmus and SA Rugby
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE INDEPENDENT MISCONDUCT COMMITTEE
An independent misconduct committee has found that behaviour displayed by SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus towards match officials during this year’s test series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions constituted misconduct.
The committee was chaired by Christopher Quinlan QC, together with Nigel Hampton QC and Judge Mike Mika (both New Zealand).
World Rugby Medical Commission Conference to consider latest developments to cement rugby as the most progressive sport on player welfare
- Annual Medical Commission Conference helps inform the future shape of rugby
- Agenda reflects the six pillars of World Rugby’s welfare advancement plan, including former player support, research and education
- Independent experts to join rugby medics, players and coaches
World Rugby establishes dedicated Women’s Player Welfare Steering Group
World Rugby has announced the establishment of a dedicated women’s player welfare steering group that will exclusively focus on the advancement of player welfare initiatives and interventions designed specifically for the women’s game at all levels.
Women’s rugby is growing globally at a rapid pace and, in line with its strategy to cement rugby as the most progressive sport on player welfare, World Rugby is committed to ensuring a dedicated focus on women’s welfare advancement, and not just replicate or adopt measures in place for the men’s game. This approach also supports the approach outlined in the transformational 2017-25 Women’s Plan.
RFU announces bid to host Rugby World Cup in 2025
Since England last hosted the RWC in 2010 and won it in 2014, women’s rugby has grown exponentially with World Rugby stating the women’s game is the single biggest opportunity to grow the sport globally.
The Red Roses are the number one ranked team in the world and the RFU has grown female participation in England from 13,000 to 40,000 registered players in clubs, with a growing pipeline of 80,000 girls playing in schools, colleges and universities.
David Mackay’s unpunished 'bump': why Australian sports must do more to tackle head and facial injuries
Expanding The NRL: Corporate Structure And Profit Sharing (Part 2)
World Rugby Amends game's laws to allow all players to wear leggings
Players will be able wear tights or leggings in matches at all levels of the sport after the World Rugby Executive Committee approved an amendment to the laws of the game.
Currently only permissible for women, Law Four will be extended to all participants with immediate effect, enabling the wearing of conforming tights or leggings on the grounds of player welfare and accessibility.
Celebrating the Tackling Inequalities Fund
The Rugby Football League is today celebrating the impact of the Tackling Inequalities Fund, which it was awarded to support communities disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic and reduce the widening inequalities in sport and physical activity.
Rugby Union player receives anti-doping sanction
Sport Integrity Australia today acknowledged the decision of the French Anti-Doping Agency to impose an 18-month ban on athlete Joshua Valentine for the presence of a prohibited substance.
World Rugby launches Tackle Ready to educate players on safe tackle technique
- New programme forms key head injury prevention initiative within World Rugby’s six-point player welfare advancement strategy
- All coaches at all levels will have access to a five-stage framework for coaching effective technique that promotes prevention
- World Rugby and national unions currently examining tackle height limits in key closed trials to aid welfare outcomes
World Rugby launches new guidelines to mark Colour Blind Awareness Day 2021
More than 300 million people worldwide currently live with some form of colour vision deficiency and World Rugby is committed to ensuring they can enjoy the game at all levels.
World Rugby announces broadcast deal for Rugby World Cup 2021 and 2023
Under the deal, which is announced just ahead of two years to go to Rugby World Cup 2023, TF1 will provide free-to-air coverage of Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand (8 October-12 November, 2022) and Rugby World Cup 2023 in France (8 September-28 October).
Operational Rules Tribunal suspends Aaron Jones-Bishop of Hunslet for eight matches
Aaron Jones-Bishop of Hunslet has been suspended for eight matches after being found guilty of a Grade F charge of “Other Contrary Behaviour – biting” in the Betfred League 1 fixture against Rochdale Hornets on August 22.
World Rugby unveils six-point plan to cement ambition to be the most progressive sport on player welfare
- Former players, current players and a specific focus on the women’s game at the heart of six-point action plan developed by the game, for the game
- World Rugby to continue to engage, listen and consult to secure the future growth of the game – everyone in the game will have a say and role to play
- First series of initiatives include new global law trials with a continued focus on player welfare, introduced from 1 August; and the introduction of Independent Concussion Consultants to support the elite game’s Graduated Return to Play protocols
- World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont addresses rugby family in open letter
Disciplinary | Match Review Panel
Following the latest round of Betfred Super League fixtures, the Match Review Panel have issued the following sanctions:
Disciplinary | Match Review Panel
Following the latest round of Betfred Championship and League 1 fixtures, the Match Review Panel have issued the following sanctions:
Statement from RFL Chair Simon Johnson following confirmation of the postponement of RLWC2021
“The RFL shares the bitter disappointment of the RLWC2021 team that they have been left with no choice but to postpone the Rugby League World Cup. They tried everything within their power to continue with the tournament this year. We are so grateful for their efforts, especially to create a world class and safe biosecurity regime but we note their view that ultimately the challenges were too great to hold the Tournament this year.
Independent disciplinary process update: Kyle Sinckler citing dismissed
British and Irish Lions player Kyle Sinckler is free to play after an independent judicial committee dismissed the citing for an act of foul play contrary to World Rugby Law 9.12.
