WADA to lodge appeal in case of Russian Olympic Committee figure skater

U.S. Weightlifting Athlete Ian Wilson Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation

The Cas Ad Hoc Division registers two more applications involving the disciplines of Bobsleigh And Skeleton

Industry united in bid to improve British racing’s culture of respect

Former rugby league player Jamie Acton banned for two years, following sample re-analysis

U.S. Ice Hockey Athlete Grace Bowlby Accepts Public Warning

Registration Extension & Financial Support - Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM)

Only three weeks after the launch of the SLAM 2022, 30+ teams registered for the global sports law moot competition. However, many teams have asked for an extension, and following consultations with students and academic institutions, we are excited to be announcing the registration deadline has been extended to 8 December 2021.

Integrity Task Force set up for FIFA Arab Cup 2021™

• Multi-stakeholder group to monitor tournament in real time

• Integrity workshops and briefings organised with all teams and referees

U.S. Weightlifting Athlete Jordan Adel Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation

WADA Seeks Host for 2025 World Conference on Doping in Sport

On 24 November 2021, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Executive Committee agreed on a proposal from WADA Management to organize a Sixth World Conference on Doping in Sport in November 2025. Today, WADA is calling upon interested cities and countries that may be interested in hosting the Conference.

Protecting players: UEFA’s concussion charter for club and national teams

UEFA has taken another important step to protect players’ health and safety by launching a concussion charter for teams taking part in the European men’s and women’s club and national team competitions.

The ITA asserts an Anti-Doping Rule Violation against Russian weightlifter Kseniya Kozina

The International Testing Agency (ITA), leading an independent anti-doping program for the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), asserts an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) against Russian weightlifter Kseniya Kozina for the use of prohibited substances based on data retrieved by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from the Moscow Laboratory

CAF Member Associations unanimously back FIFA World Cup every two years proposal during the Extraordinary General Assembly

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.

WADA Governance Review: a missed opportunity for urgently needed reform

Statement from the World Players Association:

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) meets in Paris today and tomorrow and appears certain to once again avoid urgently needed governance reforms to address the escalating crisis facing the global anti-doping effort.

Papa John’s Trophy rule amendment

Following feedback from Clubs remaining in this season’s Papa John’s Trophy, the EFL can confirm Clubs will be permitted to make five substitutions from the seven they nominate for the remainder of the 2021/22 competition.

The amendment to Competition Rule 10.1 comes into effect ahead of the next round of ties which will take place during the week commencing Monday 29 November 2021.

The change was made after consideration of the proposal which highlighted concerns of a demanding fixture schedule over the coming months.

WADA Foundation Board unanimously approves further governance reforms

• Approval of Independent Ethics Board; additional seats on Executive Committee for an athlete representative and an independent member, and on Foundation Board for athletes and National Anti-Doping Organizations; and establishment of WADA Athletes’ Council
• Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds Program to be piloted next year
• New Confidential Sources’ Policy approved

FIFA publishes International Transfer Snapshot (January 2022)

The Cas Ad Hoc Division issues three decisions in the Bobsleigh/Skeleton cases

The Ad Hoc Division of the Court Of Arbitration For Sport (Cas) registers its first cases in beijing

CAS Bulletin 2022

AFC Media Release 3/2022: Latest Decision by AFC Entry Control Body

Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM) Application Deadline Extended to 24 December 2021

SLAM is a unique initiative, with the objective of providing a world-class moot competition that promotes greater knowledge of the values and rules of international sports arbitration, a key dispute resolution mechanism in the sector. 

We are proud to announce that we have over 40 teams registered for the global sports law moot competition, SLAM. We have already extended the deadline for registrations once, however, we have been inundated with requests for a further extension. 

U.S. Triathlon Athlete Noah Webb Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation

USADA announced today that Noah Webb, of Los Angeles, Calif., an athlete in the sport of triathlon, has accepted a four-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.

Webb, 48, tested positive an anabolic agent as the result of an in-competition urine sample collected at the Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group Olympic National Championships on August 7, 2021. His urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), which is capable of measuring the carbon isotope ratio of urinary steroids and confirming their synthetic origin—in this case, testosterone or its precursors. IRMS is a powerful tool that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin. Anabolic agents like testosterone have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and can give an athlete an unfair advantage over fellow competitors.

UEFA governance model reinforced by EU sports ministers

EU sports ministers today adopted a Resolution of the Council of the EU on a European Sport Model. The Resolution, unanimously approved by the ministers on behalf of the EU’s 27 member states, calls for strengthening values-based organised sport in Europe and protecting it from threats such as closed competitions.

The adoption of the Resolution follows recent vocal support for the European Sport Model from both the European Parliament and the European Commission. The Resolution of the Council of the EU is a milestone that will shape European sport in the decades to come. UEFA applauds EU sports ministers’ determination in reaching the agreement and welcomes the Council of the EU’s vision for the future of European sport policy.

AFC’s club competitions set for strategic reforms

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.  

FIFA appoints normalisation committees in Guinea and Chad

Guinea

The Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to appoint a normalisation committee for the Guinean Football Association (FGF) following a series of irregularities that took place during the electoral process of the FGF. In order to guarantee that the FGF can hold transparent and fair elections as well as to help restore trust amongst all football stakeholders in Guinea, the normalisation committee’s mandate will include the following tasks:

CGF Coordination Commission set for latest review of Birmingham 2022

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Coordination Commission will undertake its latest review of Birmingham 2022 preparations later this week. 

The Coordination Commission (CoCom) is responsible for delivery oversight of the Commonwealth Games and tasked with monitoring the Games to ensure it is delivered to scope, schedule and budget.

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. 

Fan led review into English football calls for independent regulator

A fan led review into English football has called for an independent regulator to stop it “lurching from crisis to crisis”.

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch chairs the review and told BBC Sport “This is a huge opportunity for football. We've seen football lurching from crisis to crisis over the past decade and unfortunately we haven't had the right levels of regulation in place to stop that from happening.” The review has commissioned by the Government, and it is understood that they would support the idea of an independent regulator.

RFU Annual Report published

• Read the full report here. 

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).      

AFC signs media rights deal with Sky Network Television Limited

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today announced Sky Network Television Limited (Sky) as their new media partner in New Zealand. The two-year deal from 2021 to 2022 includes the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar™, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™, as well as the AFC Champions League™ featuring Asia’s top forty clubs.

FIFA welcomes new European Parliament report on sport

• Report focuses on key issues such as good governance, safe sport, inclusiveness and anti-discrimination

• FIFA’s transfer system reform gains support as part of improving good governance and integrity

U.S. Weightlifting Coaches Ernest Prempeh and Bernabe Chavez Accept Sanctions for Anti-Doping Rule Violation

Milestone 100,000 samples collected by UKAD

The Anti-Doping Division of the Court Of Arbitration for Sport Responds To Wada

Statement from USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart on Eric Lira Investigation Conducted Under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act

Statement from USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart on Equine Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program Negotiations

U.S. Paralympic Judo Athlete Trey Lampkin Accepts Public Warning

UKAD quarterly results show increase compared to same time last year as testing ramps up pre-Beijing Winter Games

Pilot National Association Financial Benchmarking Report

The pandemic has had a significant impact on key revenue streams for national football associations. The UEFA Grow programme has responded by expanding the financial management services offered to UEFA’s member associations.

Future competition structure

UEFA supporter liaison guide: building bridges between clubs and fans

UEFA’s commitment to fostering positive relations with football fans is reinforced by a new Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) practical guide compiled by UEFA in partnership with Supporters Direct Europe (SD Europe).

Raj Parker appointed to the BHA Board

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the sport’s governing and regulatory body, has today announced that regulatory and sports law specialist Raj Parker has been appointed to its Board.

Raj takes up his role as an Independent Non-Executive Regulatory Director on 1 January, and will replace Sir Paul Stephenson, who joined the BHA Board in 2015 and whose term expires on 31 December.

CAF President Dr. Motsepe heaps praises on new Egyptian FA Technical Centre

IWF Election Postponed Pending Resolution Of Outstanding Legal Issues

A meeting of the IWF Executive Board yesterday considered the written legal opinion sent by the independent IWF Legal Commission which made it clear the proper legal foundations for the planned IWF Elections had not yet been fully complied. Due to this reason the IWF Executive Board decided, that the Electoral Congress, scheduled for 20-21 December, will not therefore see voting take place on those days. However, the IWF wishes to move forward by holding a General Congress with all other points on the original agenda on 20-21 December 2021. Therefore, preparations will move forward with the same conditions as it was communicated by the IWF before.

World Athletics publishes Online Abuse Study covering Tokyo Olympic Games

• Female athletes were the target of 87% of all abuse

• 65% of all abusive posts warrant intervention from social media platforms

In line with its commitment to making athletics a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, World Athletics today publishes findings of a study conducted during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to identify and address targeted, abusive messages sent to athletes via social media.

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.

Innovation initiatives focus on women's football and sustainability

The Innovation in Action and Reimagine Football ventures are exploring new ways to take the sport forward in the fields of fan engagement and carbon footprint reductions.