What are the odds of increased regulation of gambling advertisements in sports?

Hannah Davies outlines how the federal parliamentary inquiry into online gambling is in full swing, prompting discussion as to whether we can expect regulation to reduce the amount of gambling advertising around Australia’s top sporting codes.

Image source: Nine Publishing

Manchester United are up for sale, but the two most prominent bids by Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe raise issues regarding multi-club ownership and sports washing.

Luke Karapetsas explores these issues in the latest MSLA Microblog piece.

Sporting events have a significant impact on the environment, and this can be attributed to the lack of legal frameworks and policies around promoting sustainable practices and climate-conscious actions.

Will the NCAA's Name, Image and Likeness reforms enfranchise college athletes in the United States?

MSLA Treasurer Alexander McDonald provides a recap of Professor Marc Edelman's Australian + New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA) lecture on NIL rights and issues faced by college athletes, the NCAA's reforms and where further action is needed to ensure fairness and transparency in elite collegiate sport in the United States.

On Monday 6 March, and just two days before its arrival, the National Basketball Association (‘NBA’) and the National Basketball Players Association (‘NBPA’) agreed to extend an early opt-out deadline for their existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

In this Microblog, Thomas Dillon of the Melbourne Sports Law Association examines the key issues in the current negotiations between the NBA and NBPA, and explores how the unique experiences of Australian players Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, may influence the final outcome of the CBA.

For years, debate over the adequacy of concussion protocols has plagued the AFL. Now, former players are planning class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria seeking compensation for concussions suffered. In examining this issue, Olivia Nibbs of the Melbourne Sports Law Association explores the proposed legal action.

The AFL is cloaked in another racism scandal. Olivia analyses the current Hawthorn racism situation at Hawthorn and raises the question of (yet again) the failings of the AFL's internal governance mechanisms and internal investigative functions.

Fast-forward to the present from the early partnership between NBA and blockchain technology studios, the ground-breaking non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, NBA Top Shot, allows fans to purchase and trade digital highlight clips and leads the market in digital sports collectibles. Despite a recent dampening in expectations following a decline, wider developments in the sports sector indicate that the commoditisation of scarce, digital assets remains to stay.

Picture this: nearing the end of the first half of a soccer match, Jordan Jones from Swansea is in possession of the ball. Running towards goal along the touch line, he is caught up and tackled by Jayden Harris from the other team. The referee says play on. No foul. No yellow or red card. Jones cannot stand up. This tackle has resulted in a serious injury to his right ankle, ruining his professional career. Can Mr Jones pursue any legal remedy?

As the war in Ukraine continues to wage on, sporting organisations continue to impose additional sanctions, barring Russian and Belrussian athletes from competing in their respective sports. Following in the footsteps of others, Wimbledon announced on the 20th of April that Russian and Belrussian tennis players will not be allowed to compete at this year’s tournament.

In this MicroBlog Susie explores the divergent attitudes within the tennis community towards Wimbledon’s decision, as well as the potential political effects of implementing such sanctions.

Environmental, social, and governance (‘ESG’) are issues that are an “ever-growing trend” in world sport. The CEO of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Claude Atcher who has reiterated this, stating that “France 2023 has embraced a vision: to have a positive impact for rugby, the planet and France by delivering a responsible event that addresses the challenges of today and tomorrow. Rugby World Cup 2023 will be more than a sporting event. It will leave a legacy”. In this Microblog piece, Nick Johnston of MSLA explores this statement that highlights the impact of ESG criteria on Major Sporting Events (MSEs) with ESG encompassing a broad range of issues.

Name, Image, and Likeness, or better known as ‘NIL’, allows for the monetization of over four hundred and eighty thousand collegiate athletes across America. Thanks to a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, the NCAA ended its long-lasting ban on student athletes earning money from endorsement deals. In this Microblog piece, Angelo Cioccio of MSLA explores the NCAA’s new endorsement policy.

The polarising debate surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in single sex sporting competitions is a convergence of legal, political and ethical questions. In examining this issue, Olivia Nibbs of MSLA explores the recently introduced "Save Women's Sport" Bill in Australia and its implications on human rights in sports.

Sport is ultimately in the business of entertainment, the fireworks on display at the A-league or Big Bash games, or the new ‘sexy’ scoreboards at Marvel Stadium. So, what about the individual health and performance data of each athlete. Betting and broadcasting are just two industries which see the benefit of gaining access to an athlete’s personal data; all for financial gain or entertainment purposes. Can a player’s health and performance data be protected by the law? In this MicroBlog piece, Alex McDonald of the Melbourne Sports Law Association explores the investigation launched by Russel Slade, former manager of British soccer clubs, under the dame Project Red Card, involving 850 professional soccer players in Britain.

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent shockwaves throughout the world. In an attempt to restrain Russia, economic, legal, and even sporting sanctions have been imposed. Global sporting bodies, in particular FIFA, have begun to deliver sanctions which are set to dramatically reduce Russia's participation in international sport. In this MicroBlog piece, Huw Knox of the Melbourne Sports Law Association explores the actions taken by FIFA towards Russia, and outlines the impending case which Russia intends to take to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal against the sanctions.

Reflecting on England's poor batting performance in the recent Ashes test series, Luke Byrnes of the Melbourne Sports Law Association explores how the Kolpak Rule, a legal loophole previously relied upon by English County cricket teams to maximise overseas signings, may have been to blame.

The State of Victoria has recently mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for many professions. Among those required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination by the end of November 2021 are professional athletes, professional sport operation workers and sports broadcasters.

Olivia Nibbs of the Melbourne Sports Law Association discusses the serious consequences athletes face if they refuse to get vaccinated, and the implications this may have for sports organisations moving forward.

In the past year, more than half of the States in the USA have introduced bills and executive orders that aim to exclude transgender youth from participating in sports and athletics.

Ella Bilton-Gough of the Melbourne Sports Law Association discusses the implications these instruments will have on Americans, and what various Associations are doing to oppose their enforcement.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed down an 8-year ban for international cricketers Ashfaq Ahmed and Amir Hayat for breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Liam Di Martino of the Melbourne Sports Law Association discusses the judgment and its broader implications for cricketers engaging in corruption at the international level.

The disciplinary decisions of the AFL Match Review Panel and its higher-level Tribunal are often the source of much controversy. Recent issues footy fans have crazed over have been the interpretation of the new ‘dangerous tackle’ rules and the metrics for grading the severity of a ‘bump’ to the head. However, the most recent on-field disciplinary drama is one that does not relate to player protection or simply ensuring the game is played in fairness.