News & Events
News & Events
Outer Temple’s Alex Haines was instructed to provide expert advice on the sale of Chelsea FC and the implications of Russian sanctions imposed on club. Alex Haines – member of the Attorney General’s Civil Panel and Outer Temple’s specialist sanctions team – was instructed by the legal team at Her Majesty’s Treasury to advise on the sale of Chelsea Football Club and the proceeds thereof in light of the designation of its former owner, Roman Abramovich, under Russia sanctions. On 10 March 2022, Mr Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government and, as a result, the Club operated within the confines and constraints caused by the imposition of sanctions. The sanctions imposed on Mr Abramovich presented unique and unforeseen challenges…
Business Crime, News, Sports 29 Jun, 2022
An Independent Appeal Committee has upheld a decision relating to breaches of player eligibility in an appeal lodged by the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER). Louis Weston acted pro bono to advise the accused rugby player who was subject to the allegations of fraud and dishonesty. Louis Weston, Head of the OTC Sports Law Group, acted pro bono along with Olivia Amos of Northridge Law. They advised a rugby player who was subject to allegations of fraud and dishonesty by the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER), in it’s appeal against the decision of World Rugby’s Judicial Committee to dock points for fielding an ineligible player in World Cup Qualification. On the appeal FER, having contested the opposite at first instance when the…
Louis Weston recently acted for the British Horseracing Authority in the prosecution of two men charged with doping a horse at Newcastle Racecourse, resulting in 10 years disqualification and a nominal fine for the faultless trainer. The British Horseracing Authority instructed Head of the Sports Law Team, Louis Weston, to act on their behalf at the hearing of Neil Waggot and Stephen Walker, two stable hands employed by Newcastle Racecourse. The hearing centred around alleged doping of horses in 2018. Ladies First was a favourite to win at Newcastle but was well beaten by 22 lengths and later tested positive for Timolol, a beta blocker. CCTV footage showed Waggot and Walker acting suspiciously and appearing to administer something to the…
Professional horseracing jockey Freddie Tylicki brought a Personal Injury Action for liability only against his fellow jockey, Graham Gibbons after a collision at Kempton in 2016 caused severe and life changing injuries. Louis Weston explains why this case is of interest to the sport. The Background The core issue of the legal dispute concerned the standard of care to be taken by a jockey racing in a competitive environment and, specifically, whether on this occasion the Defendant’s riding fell below that standard of care. The parties agreed that the standard was set in the case of Caldwell v Maguire [2001] EWCA Civ 1054 and that in particular it should be recognised that liability for sporting errors could not be established…
Louis Weston acted for the British Horseracing Authority in the disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne which resulted in an 18 month ban for bullying and harassment of Bryony Frost. The full reasons for the decision have now been published alongside a statement from the major stakeholders in the sport. Louis Weston represented the British Horseracing Authority at a disciplinary panel which decided today that jockey Robbie Dunne should receive an 18 month ban for acting in a violent or improper manner towards Britain’s most successful female rider, Bryony Frost, and acting in a way prejudicial to the sport. The disciplinary panel heard from Louis Weston that Robbie threatened to cause fellow rider Bryony serious physical harm and that he used…
Louis Weston acts for the BHA in the disciplinary case against Robbie Dunne relating to alleged bullying and harassment of Bryony Frost. Robbie Dunne appeared in front of a British Horse Racing panel on Tuesday 30th November 2021 to face allegations of acting in a violent or improper manner towards Britain’s most successful female rider, Bryony Frost, and acting in a way prejudicial to the sport. Robbie is charged with abusing, harassing and intimidating Bryony. The disciplinary panel has heard from Louis Weston that Robbie threatened to cause fellow ride Bryony serious physical harm and using “foul, sexually abusive and misogynistic language”. The jockey is accused of breaching two British Horseracing Authority rules in relation to each event at Uttoxeter,…
Convicted paedophile Barry Bennell, is to give evidence for the first time, in the ongoing trial against Manchester City FC. James Counsell QC and Ben Bradley continue to act in this ongoing trial for eight victims. On Tuesday 30 November, Manchester City FC will open its case, relying on evidence from the perpetrator himself, Barry Bennell. Bennell is serving a 34-year prison sentence for around 90 separate sexual offences perpetrated against children. Bennell is likely to say that he played no part in Manchester City FC’s youth operations. The case will be the first time that Bennell has ever given live evidence about the circumstances surrounding his crimes; having elected not to give evidence (despite, at times, entering not guilty…
News, Personal Injury, Sports 29 Nov, 2021
James Counsell QC and Ben Bradley represent eight victims in the High Court, seeking damages from Manchester City FC after suffering sexual abuse from one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders. James and Ben represent eight claimants who were subjected to sexual abuse by Barry Bennell whilst they were playing for Manchester City FC junior or ‘feeder teams’. These teams were set up by the Defendant, Manchester City FC, for the purpose of seeking to recruit a steady source of highly talented young footballers who were then of an age (under 14) when they could not be formally signed up to schoolboy contracts. James told the Court that Barry Bennell was recruited by the Defendant to scout promising young…
News, Personal Injury, Sports 25 Oct, 2021
CAS Arbitrator, sports law expert and OTC Professional Associate, Anthony Lo Surdo SC delivered a webinar to members of the Japan Sports Lawyers Association (JSLA) on Friday, 1 October 2021 on the topic of discrimination in sport. This interactive webinar took the form of a case study with a Q & A session and examined conduct that may comprise discrimination, the source and power to sanction for such conduct and the approach to sanctions. This webinar was the second in a series presented by Anthony Lo Surdo SC to the JSLA as part of its Study and Research on International Sports Arbitration. Anthony discussed the incident in the Eastern SC v Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC match in Mong Kok…
Louis Weston, who heads up the Sports Group at Outer Temple, acted for the British Horseracing Association in resisting the appeal by the connections of Dragon Symbol against that horse being demoted to second place and Campanelle being declared the winner in the Commonwealth Cup Group 1 race at Ascot on 18 June 2021. Royal Ascot stewards decided to award the Commonwealth Cup to Campanelle after Dragon Symbol passed the post a head in front of Campanelle but hung right in the final furlong and a half, bumping Campanelle. This interference caused Dragon Symbol’s jockey, Oisin Murphy, to earn a careless-riding ban. In determining the question of the effect of the interference on Campanelle, the disciplinary panel considered that the…
On Thursday 8th April, Jonathan Hand QC of Outer Temple and Bruce Ralston of Weightmans will present a webinar about defending claims for personal injury brought under the Animals Act 1971, with a focus on the areas which are most commonly in dispute and practical guidance about how to deal with them. Claims for strict liability under the Animals Act are particularly challenging because of the complex wording of the Act and the difficulty in applying its provisions to the wide range of factual situations which arise. This webinar will look at the areas which are most commonly in dispute, namely whether the conditions for strict liability in s.2(2) of the Act are made out – with particular reference to…
On Tuesday 16th February, Outer Temple Chambers, Irwin Mitchell and guests held a lunch-time discussion on concussion, liability and litigation and sports law. The recording of the webinar is now available to watch. Outer Temple Chambers and Irwin Mitchell hosted a joint webinar to discuss the issue of sports related concussion and liability on Tuesday 16th February 2021. We were delighted to be joined by two external speakers for this event to explore the issue from all angles; Dr Michael Turner, a medical expert in this field, and David Denton, an ex-professional rugby player who was forced into early retirement due to a head injury. Agenda Introduction by Louis Weston (Chair) – Barrister, Outer Temple Chambers Concussion – the mechanism…
News, Webinars & Vlogs, Sports Webinars, Sports 26 Feb, 2021
