The power to end the football season: lessons from the decision in South Shields FC v The FA

The distinguished arbitral panel, chaired by Lord Dyson with Charles Flint QC and Andrew Green QC, recently delivered its award in the case of South Shields Football Club 1888 Limited v The Football Association Limited.[1] The decision, which considered The FA’s powers to bring the 2019/20 football season to an end for Steps 3 to 7 of the National League System, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, is one of the first to examine the scope of regulatory decision-making in the field of sport in the wake of the current global health crisis. Nick De Marco QC discusses the case, examining:
- Background
- The challenge
- The decision
- Wider implications of the decision
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- Tags: Coronavirus | COVID-19 | Dispute Resolution | England | Football | Regulation | The FA
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Written by
Nick De Marco KC
Nick is rated a leading silk in Sports Law and is a member of Blackstone Chambers.
He has advised and acted for a number of sports governing bodies, athletes, most Premier League football clubs and many world-class football players in commercial and regulatory disputes.