NEWSLETTER SPORT LAW – JULY 2022
Discover the articles written by our lawyers and legal experts in the Sports Law department
LES ARTICLES
Experiment with “orange” card in rugby
The proposed orange card is a measure that could change many things in the world of rugby. An experiment is underway in the southern hemisphere to replace the permanent exclusion of a red-carded player with a temporary exclusion of 20 minutes followed by a replacement player.
Sportsmen’s image rights
On 22 March, Kylian Mbappé refused to take part in marketing operations during the French national team’s get-together, as the footballer did not wish to associate his image with the promotion of certain French team sponsors (Betclic, Coca-Cola and KFC).
More and more, professional sportsmen and women are showing their commitment to an ethical approach.
Public limited companies take up sport!
From now on, “cultural and sporting issues” must also be considered by companies. This new obligation is imposed on the boards of directors and management boards of public limited companies by the law of 2 March 2022 aimed at democratising sport in France.
This movement to extend the considerations that should guide the actions of companies began with the law of 22 May 2019 (the famous, “Loi Pacte”) which provided the obligation for companies to operate having regard to the “social and environmental challenges” of their activities.
Naturalisation in sport
It is not uncommon to notice difficulties emerge in sport related to the nationality of sportsmen and women. There is no shortage of examples of naturalizations suspected of complacency, such as the Congolese basketball player Serge Ibaka, naturalized in Spain in 2011 after only two seasons in Spain, or in handball with the Qatar team, finalist of the 2015 World Cup with a team composed of two natives out of seventeen.
UK bans sports personalities from appearing in betting ads
The UK Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) announced in an official statement on 5 April the introduction of strict new rules for gambling advertisements as part of its commitment to protecting young and vulnerable audiences.
These rules will have a significant impact on gambling advertisers who seek to promote their brands by featuring high-profile sportsmen and celebrities, who according to the CAP “have a strong appeal to young people under 18”.
The LFP creates a commercial company
The French Professional Football League (LFP) has created a commercial company to support the development of the entire French football ecosystem.
Football – New FIFA rules on player loans
A new regulation of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) will come into force on 1 July, subject to approval by the FIFA Council.
World Rugby introduces mandatory multi-day rest for concussed players
World Rugby has further tightened up its concussion rules.
On 21 June, it announced that it would impose a 7 to 12 day period of absence for players who have left the field due to symptoms of concussion, effectively disqualifying them from participating in the next game.
Russians banned from sport
Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s event created significant controversy.
Many applauded Wimbledon’s clear and courageous decision but some tennis players such as Novak Djokovic were critical on the basis that sport and politics should never be mixed. He called the decision “crazy”.
American Football or Soccer?
The Americans may not be the best at soccer, but when it comes to the business side of the game, they are the world champions in England and in France.
In the latest example of American dominance in football ownership, a group led by US financier Todd Boehly acquired Chelsea Football Club from Roman Abramovich in a deal reportedly worth a record £4.25bn.
