Sports

We understand the regulatory framework applicable to sport and advise stakeholders within the sports industry.

Our expertise covers all aspects of sporting regulation and related matters, whether that be advising federations, clubs, athletes, intermediaries, partners or sponsors.

Clients rely on us to guide them through a variety of matters, be it disputes arising from events, contracts or sponsorship or advice on the regulations that apply to their activities to ensure compliance. Our lawyers have worked with professional clubs, teams and organisations, players, agents, and celebrities, and assisted various governing bodies and agencies as well as leading global brands.

Our clients receive a full service which includes contentious and non-contentious sports matters. That service includes: advice on regulatory matters, litigation, sports related arbitrations, dispute resolution, defamation and privacy matters, reputation management, investigations, employment, immigration, data protection, commercial real estate, intellectual property, commercial contracts and settlement agreements.

Whilst we have the knowledge and expertise to handle the issues which affect our clients, we are also conscious that sport is a global enterprise, which is why our team has local connections with sports lawyers and other stakeholders within the industry in many jurisdictions. Our lawyers also
have relationships with various organisations and persons, including brand management and public relations, which enable us to manage both urgent and evolving situations.

Examples of our team’s experience include: 

Regulatory & Commercial Advice

• –      Regularly advising football intermediaries, clubs and players on regulatory matters concerning the FA Regulations, the FA Intermediaries Regulations, the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, the Premier League Rules and Regulations, the EFL Rules and Regulations.
• –      Advising foreign football clubs on provisions in employment contracts and complying with internal disciplinary procedures.
• –      Advising Premier League and Gulf region football clubs on incoming and outgoing transfer structures. 

Dispute Resolution

• –      Acting in more than 40 FIFA, CAS and other domestic sports arbitrations for a range of stakeholders including numerous Article 17 FIFA RSTP and solidarity contribution disputes.
• –      Acting for an intermediary in a significant dispute with a Premier League football club and a Premier League football player.
• –      Successfully bringing a FIFA claim against a football player on behalf of leading football club in the Gulf region for breach of Article 17 RSTP, securing a large award for the club.
• –      Acting on an Asian Football Confederation internal appeal brought by an AFC affiliated club.
• –      Acting on two Professional Football Compensation Committee claims for a Premier League club.
• –      Obtaining summary judgment against an intermediary in a dispute for a sponsor of a leading sportsman and celebrity. 
• –      Successfully acting for a Gulf sports federation in a CAS dispute involving the Asian Football Confederation and another national sports federation.

Investigations

• –      Acting for an EFL Championship football club in relation to a regulatory investigation. by the EFL and the subsequent EFL Disciplinary Commission and EFL League Arbitration.
• –      Acting for an intermediary of a Premier League player in relation to an FA investigation arising out of alleged breaches of the FA’s Intermediary Regulations.

 Property

• –      Acting for numerous Premier League footballers and other athletes in connection with the purchase of property in the UK.
• –      Advising sports clubs (including golf clubs, a local football club and a fishing club) on property related matters.

 Immigration

• –      Advising sports persons on their immigration status in the UK.
• –      Advising FA registered intermediaries on football players’ GBE exemption status.

Key Contacts