‘Contact with the eye or eye area’: Kockott’s Case Considered

Castres’ Rory Kockott was this week handed a three-week suspension for “making contact with the eye area” of Munster’s Chris Cloete during Round 4 of the Champions Cup. The incident was not spotted by the referee during the game but…

To Arbitrate or Not to Arbitrate? What RFC Seraing v FIFA means for rugby

“The last twenty years have seen huge growth in sports arbitration. Rather than allowing disputes to be settled in ordinary domestic courts, most Sports Governing Bodies (SGBs) now provide for all disputes under their regulations to be settled exclusively by…

Four-Year Doping Bans in Rugby: Davis & Ashfield Explained

On the same day last month, it was announced that two rugby players from opposite ends of the playing spectrum had received four-year doping bans. August 13 saw US Eagle Aaron Davis and Clevedon RFC’s Dean Ashfield both sanctioned by…

Spanish Rugby Federation v World Rugby (Part I)

Spanish Rugby in the Dock Pt I: Finding Grounds for Appeal | Keep Calm Talk Law A Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification match between Belgium and Spain was steeped in controversy. But in a recent decision, an independent committee declined…

Challenging the Call: Sporting Governing Bodies and Judicial Review

Challenging the Call: Sporting Governing Bodies and Judicial Review | Keep Calm Talk Law Courts have long resisted extending judicial review to sporting governing bodies, using a strained notion of contract to provide cover where necessary. However, with sport playing…