Sports law

Sports law

A number of barristers of Wilberforce Chambers are experienced in matters of sports law.  Whether an instruction raises matters which are regulatory or disciplinary in nature, whether the case involves a substantial commercial and/or financial dispute, whether there is an insolvency or multi-jurisdictional element, whether there are employment issues, or whether the case is contentious or advisory in nature, the chances are that a member of Chambers will have experience in such a dispute and will be able to assist.  Cases in which members are instructed are frequently substantial in value and often involve high profile individuals and entities.

Members have appeared as advocates in Court or in arbitral tribunals across the world, and some members also act as tribunal panel members.  Examples of the types of cases in which members have been instructed include:

• Acting in disciplinary proceedings in private sporting clubs
• Appearing in court proceedings, in unfair prejudice petitions and claims for breach of contract, challenging the outcome and/or process adopted by sporting clubs’ disciplinary committees
• Acting in FA Premier League arbitrations
• Appealing from FIFA decisions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
• Acting for insolvency practitioners and other various interested parties in insolvency proceedings relating to substantial sporting entities, such as Formula 1 and football teams
• Appearing in proceedings before the World Motor Sport Council
• Advising on commercial disputes involving broadcasting rights to major sporting events and competitions
• Acting for sportsmen and women in contractual disputes, such as claims for breach of contract against agents, as well as in employment disputes
• Acting as judges and arbitrators in sporting panels, such as the FA judicial panel