Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman & CEO on Peng Shuai

"The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts.

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 

UIPM Committee Members meet to kickstart new 5th discipline consultation process

Six members of UIPM’s Athletes Committee, Coaches Committee and Technical Committee met today to begin the consultation process announced by the UIPM Executive Board (EB) on November 4.

Current and incoming members of the three committees had preliminary discussions about the consultation process and were briefed by UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann as well as UIPM Vice-President Joel Bouzou and Secretary General Shiny Fang.

Sport Integrity Australia: play it fair online

Sport Integrity Australia, together with 23 other major sporting organisations from around Australia, has teamed with the eSafety Commissioner to help combat online abuse in sport.

According to CEO David Sharpe, the agency joined the collective in signing the Online Safety Statement of Commitment as there is no place for abuse – whether it’s on the sporting field, off the field, or online.

Athletics coach Rana Reider to be investigated over sexual misconduct claims

Athletics coach Rana Reider set to be investigated by the US Center for SafeSport after multiple complaints of sexual misconduct were made against him.

Reider is a well renowned athletics trainer as he has trained multiple World and Olympic Champions including Tokyo 2020 Olympic 200m gold medallist Andre de Grasse and two-time Olympic champion Christian Taylor.

FIFA launches pioneering education programme for former players

• The Next 90 aims to provide retired football players the right tools to design their career

• Applications open on November 2, to start in January 2022

• All fees and tuition costs will be covered by FIFA. CIES will deliver the programme

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.

Quenneville resigns as Panthers coach, named in Blackhawks investigation

Joel Quenneville resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers on Thursday after being implicated in an independent investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks for allegations by former player Kyle Beach of sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

Influential IOC member highlights sporting risks of biennial World Cup

Mustapha Berraf, first-vice president of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, has raised further concerns about staging a football World Cup every two years.

WTA’s Mental Health & Wellness: Committed to enhancing an athlete's well-being

With mental health at the forefront of sporting conversations, the WTA’s Mental Health & Wellness department (MH&W) is committed to enhancing an athlete’s well-being through education, training and individual consultation and support.

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.

David Mackay’s unpunished 'bump': why Australian sports must do more to tackle head and facial injuries

Published Monday, 18 October 2021.

ICC and UNICEF partner to help break stigma around mental health

The partnership will amplify UNICEF’s global campaign #OnYourMind which calls for commitment, communication and action to promote good mental health for every child.

NFL-Premier League joint statement on medical conference to discuss player health and safety

The National Football League (NFL) and the Premier League held a joint medical conference in London today to discuss their latest advancements in player health and safety and to share best practices for analyzing, treating, and preventing injuries among elite athletes. Led by a diverse group of the leagues' world class physicians, injury prevention specialists and epidemiologists, the day-long conference was an opportunity to ensure each leagues' efforts are informed by the latest scientific and medical information available in pursuit of a joint commitment to continuous improvement of player safety. The leagues discussed strategies for reducing soft tissue and knee ligament injuries, innovation in field surface materials, concussion prevention and treatment and the importance of prioritizing athletes' mental wellness. Held as part of the annual NFL London Games, the conference was attended by a delegation from the NFL Player Health & Safety team and Premier League physicians, certified athletic trainers/physios and sports science specialists, with representation from its clubs.

Supporting athletes’ mental health on and off the field of play

Today is World Mental Health Day, an international day to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilise support efforts. 

NHLPA/NHL media release regarding Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price

The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today that goalie Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens will be away from the team while voluntarily taking part in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Football Australia sets up Independent Complaint Process following abuse allegations

Football Australia has established an independent complaints process following recent allegations of abuse by former international Lisa De Vanna.

Independent complaint handling process confirmed for Football Australia

Football Australia, Sport Integrity Australia and the National Sports Tribunal have today confirmed they will develop an independent complaint handling process to manage reports raised in relation to Football Australia’s national teams and the A-Leagues.

US Soccer appoints former Deputy Attorney General to lead sexual misconduct investigation

Former United States Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates has been appointed by US Soccer to lead an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

FIFA statement on recent reports in the US made by several players

FIFA is deeply concerned by the recent reports in the US made by several players.  Due to the severity and seriousness of the allegations being made by players, we can confirm that FIFA’s judicial bodies are actively looking into the matter and have opened a preliminary investigation.

AFC Medical Committee prioritises the health and wellbeing of players

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Committee continued its commitment to expand the network of world-class medical centres in Asia by recognising The Kitchee – Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Sports Medicine Clinic as the latest AFC Medical Centre / Clinic of Excellence at its fourth meeting held virtually today.

CPA working on riders safety: fruitful meeting with AIOCC at Flanders 2021 World Championships

Mind the gap: 67 percent of footballers unsure of second career path, FIFPRO survey finds

• Two out of three professional footballers are not sure what they will do when they stop playing
• Brussels University surveyed 282 footballers in 33 countries as part of the 'Mind the Gap' campaign
• FIFPRO's Jonas Baer-Hoffmann says findings are a 'wake-up call' to the industry to assist young players

PHF announces Cleveland Clinic as official medical team

The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) is proud to announce a new two-year relationship with Cleveland Clinic through the 2022-23 season. Bringing extensive Sports Medicine and Orthopedic expertise in both the United States and Canada, Cleveland Clinic will support the Federation with consultation on various initiatives by providing strategic guidance and expertise as the Official Medical Team of the PHF.

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

IOC releases Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations

Following a two-year consultation process with more than 250 athletes and concerned stakeholders, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today released its new “IOC Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations”.

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 

Name Image & Likeness - How Laws Are Evolving For NCAA Athletes’ Compensation

Published Friday, 12 November 2021.

Azeem Rafiq settles tribunal case with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and receives apology

Azeem Rafiq has settled his tribunal case with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and received an apology from new chair Lord Kamlesh Patel.

LawInSport Weekly News Recap - 4 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. 

Wellbeing support confirmed for Football Australia process

Anyone impacted by the independent complaints handling process for Football Australia will have free access to expert mental health and wellbeing support, as part of an expanded partnership announced today by Football Australia, Sport Integrity Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).  

LawInSport Weekly News Recap - 29 October

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. 

Statement from NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr on Kyle Beach

National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Executive Director Don Fehr issued the following statement today:

“Kyle Beach has been through a horrific experience and has shown true courage in telling his story. There is no doubt that the system failed to support him in his time of need, and we are part of that system.

FIFA President calls on global football community to show solidarity with Afghan refugees

• FIFA President thanks Qatar for aiding evacuation from Afghanistan of over 150 refugees, among them female football players and their families

• Gianni Infantino visited compound in Doha to meet evacuees, including displaced players and Afghanistan Football Federation staff members

• FIFA President calls on other nations to assist

Players in Australia welcome new deal about working conditions

Welsh Government and Football Association of Wales launch joint programme to tackle online abuse of women

The Welsh Government and The Football Association of Wales (FAW) have launched a joint educational programme which will look to tackle online abuse of women and girls.

IOC supports the calls for a wider consultation on FIFA’s World Cup plans and shares concerns

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) takes note of FIFA’s plans to change the football competition schedule and to hold the World Cup every two years. A number of International Federations (IFs) of other sports, national football federations, clubs, players, players associations and coaches have expressed strong reservations and concerns regarding the plans to generate more revenue for FIFA, mainly for the following reasons:

FIFA assists evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan

FIFA can confirm, following complex negotiations, it has, with the support of Qatar, evacuated almost 100 members of the football family from Afghanistan, including female players. 

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.

LawInSport Weekly News Recap - 8 October

Welcome to LawInSport’s weekly News Roundup.  This recap highlights this week’s 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. 

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.

Marshawn Lynch to become NFLPA's first-ever Chief Brand Ambassador

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NFL Players Association is excited to announce that All-Pro running back and Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch will serve as the union’s first ever chief brand ambassador. In this role, Lynch will support the development of players past, present, and future both on and off the football field.

Rise in excessive back-to-back matches in men's football, FIFPRO research shows

The amount of back-to-back matches in elite men’s professional football has increased over the last three years, with some footballers spending 70 to 80 percent of their playing time in a two-game-a-week rhythm, according to a new FIFPRO report.

Unions strengthen worker protections, demand to elevate health & safety to ILO’s fundamental rights compact

Action Alert! On October 7th, World Day for Decent Work, UNI Global Union and unions on every continent will call upon the ILO to designate occupational safety and health as a fundamental right. Find UNI's Action Toolkit here.  

We will draw attention to the lifesaving measures that unions have taken to protect all workers during COVID-19 and demand that workers everywhere have a right to a union and to independently elected safety and health committees.  

The ITA supports pre-Games education for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA), LEADING AN INDEPENDENT ANTI-DOPING PROGRAM FOR THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BEIJING 2022, HAS SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW INTERACTIVE EDUCATION COURSE FOR ATHLETES AND COACHES AIMING TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING WINTER GAMES. THIS CLEAN SPORT COURSE WAS DEVELOPED BY THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY (WADA) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ITA AND THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) AND IT LAUNCHES TODAY ON WADA’S EDUCATION PLATFORM ADEL. THE ITA IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR A PRE-GAMES EDUCATION PROJECT DESIGNED TO ENABLE CODE SIGNATORIES TO EDUCATE THEIR DELEGATIONS BEFORE THEY HEAD TO BEIJING.

Mali: Inquiry Links Basketball Federation to Sexual Abuse

The International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA)  report on systemic sexual harassment and abuse within the Mali Basketball Federation (FMBB) vindicates the victims of abuse,  survivors, whistleblowers, and  activists who took enormous risks to bring this abuse to light, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today.

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

LawInSport Weekly News Recap - 17 September

Welcome to LawInSport’s weekly News Roundup.  This recap highlights this week’s 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. 

Simone Biles to testify before Senate for investigation into Larry Nassar

Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is set to testify with other gymnasts before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the investigation into former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar who was imprisoned for sexually assaulting hundreds of athletes.

Proposal to strengthen the Online Safety Bill

English football has proposed a set of recommendations to further strengthen the Online Safety Bill and ensure victims of online abuse are adequately protected.