News & Events
News & Events
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…
News 11 Aug, 2021
Outer Temple Chambers and Irwin Mitchell recently hosted a lunch-time discussion on women in sport and the developing law. We were delighted to also be joined by Cliodhna Guy from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. Watch the webinar on-demand here. In June, Louis Weston chaired the second in our series of sports related lunchtime discussions. This event focused on women in sport. The Talks After an introduction by Louis, he welcomed Kylie Hutchison from Irwin Mitchell to talk about her experience as an elite Touch rugby player and Senior Associate in the International Serious Injury Team at Irwin Mitchell. Kylie presented ‘Caps and claims – balancing sporting and legal life’. Sarah Crowther QC presented ‘A level playing field? Is equal treatment enough for the safe…
Webinars & Recordings 8 Jul, 2021
Louis Weston authored LawInSport’s ‘Sports Integrity (Betting & Financial Corruption) – The Year In Review 2020/21’. Louis’s review identifies and reviews some of the notable cases and events in 2020/21 and discusses what trends might be drawn from them. Louis reviews key events, disciplinary decisions and the impact of coronavirus on betting and financial corruption. This year, Louis considers the effect that the worldwide Covid crisis has had on the world of sport. In the chapter, Louis covers: Two Key Themes Corruption cases and fights against it: Disciplinary and state police activity in tennis, Esports and around the world; Cases without criminal element; Organised crime in sports during a pandemic – ghost events; Match fixing and football betting cases; Governance…
Legal Blogs 5 May, 2021
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…
Webinars & Recordings 26 Feb, 2021
You are invited to join Outer Temple Chambers, Irwin Mitchell and guests for a lunch-time discussion on Tuesday 16th February on concussion, liability and litigation and sports law. Outer Temple Chambers and Irwin Mitchell will be hosting a joint webinar to discuss the issue of sports related concussion and liability on Tuesday 16th February 2021. We are 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. Please join us for this unique event which we are sure will be invaluable to all sports law…
Events 5 Feb, 2021
Outer Temple Chambers was delighted to join the LawInSport Annual Conference in November 2020, where James Counsell QC, Sarah Crowther QC and Louis Weston spoke at this leading sports event. The 6th Annual LawInSport Conference, ‘Understand The Rules of The Game 2020’, included over 50 speakers from more than ten countries, discussing and debating 18 topics, over two weeks. This “must attend” sports law conference was one not to be missed. As leading experts in their field, James Counsell QC, Sarah Crowther QC and Louis Weston were invited to join the list of speakers and panelists. The Talks Sarah Crowther QC was a panelist on the in-house counsel forum for work developments and effective practices; ‘What legal and governance lessons have…
News 30 Nov, 2020
Louis Weston co-authors Chapter 13 of Lissack and Horlick on Bribery and Corruption with specialists at Charles Russell Speechlys to set out the extent and forms of corruption in sport and the relevant legislative and common law powers, and civil and regulatory powers to tackle it. Louis Weston collaborated with Charles Russell Speechlys LLP’s Danielle Sharkey and Caroline Greenwell to focus on corruption in sport in Chapter 13. The commercialisation of sport and the massive influx of income and commercial opportunity that have grown alongside that commercialisation have led to a mirrored growth in corruption in sport in all forms and at all levels. The awards of games, tournaments and competitions are beset by corrupt payments and bribes with notorious examples in FIFA…
External Publications 11 Nov, 2020
We are delighted to announce that the Third edition of Lissack and Horlick on Bribery and Corruption has been published by LexisNexis Butterworths. The practitioner’s book was edited by Fiona Horlick QC and Richard Lissack QC, and was contributed to by a number of Outer Temple members. In 2010, the UK’s law on bribery changed from a collection of ancient statutes, distorted in some cases by contradictory authority, to a single statute often regarded as one of the most rigorous, and wide-ranging in application, in the world. Since coming into force in 2011, numerous prosecutions were brought on the basis of the Bribery Act as well as five of the eight deferred prosecution agreements reached in the UK to date. It…
External Publications 30 Sep, 2020
Louis Weston writes for LawInSport on why the World Anti-Doping Code’s new ‘Substances of Abuse’ 2021 regime needs urgent clarity. In January 2021, the WADA Code changes to allow substantially reduced suspensions for athletes who test positive for ‘Substances of Abuse’. This term is yet to be defined but it is expected to include recreational drugs like cocaine and cannabis. In his article, Louis identifies the Substances of Abuse changes and considers what National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADO) and Sports Governing Bodies (SGB) that have incorporated the WADA Code now need to do to prepare considering the new regime applies retroactively. Louis also explores the reasoning behind the changes and the potential procedural problems for SGBs, athletes and participants. The Article…
External Publications 14 Aug, 2020
Louis Weston authored the Sports Integrity (Betting and Financial Corruption) section of the LawInSport Year in Review series 2019/2020. Louis’s review identifies and reviews some of the notable cases and events in 2019/2020 and discusses what trends might be drawn from them. Louis reviews key events, disciplinary decisions and the impact of coronavirus on betting and financial corruption. Louis notes that whilst crime and corruption in sport has reduced during lockdown, this does not mean that the corrupters have gone away. Louis considers the legislative action in a number of countries to bring into effect laws that criminalise corruption in sport. Louis also considers the governmental action, international policy and monitoring bodies introduced in 2019 and 2020. Louis reviews the…
External Publications 17 Jun, 2020
Louis Weston and Sarah Crowther have co authored ‘How game theory can help us design more effective whistleblowing polices for sports’ for LawInSport. This two part article considers how sports bodies can design more effective whistleblowing polices. Part 1 (available here) examined three interesting scenarios from the behavioural field of game theory to help give us a better understanding of how decisions are made in difficult circumstances, analogous to those a potential Whistleblower may face. It then identified ways in which the ‘rules of the game’ might be changed to better incentivise a certain behavioural outcome. Part 2 (available here) builds on the theory from Part 1. It first examines the current state of Whistleblowing laws in England & Wales…
News 7 Oct, 2019
Louis Weston has acted for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in resisting an appeal by the player Bryce Heem. Louis, who recently joined Outer Temple, acted for the RFU in successfully resisting Bryce Heem’s appeal against a four-week suspension, imposed by an RFU Disciplinary Panel following his citing for a tip a tackle. Read more about the interim decision here with further press coverage available here. To instruct Louis or find out more about his practice, please contact Graham Woods, Business Development Manager.
News 25 Apr, 2019