Sports Law Special Newsletter

Welcome to this special edition of the Synergy Law Newsletter – focusing on Sport and the Law. Sport as an industry is in a rapid state of growth and in many ways, it is under-serviced with a workforce that is sprinting, not running, to keep up with its increasingly specialised and niche needs. Synergy Law, in the words of Sharon from Kath and Kim, is “here if you need” to make sense of this growth.

It has been less than a month since “our Matildas’” captivated us as a nation, setting viewership records and catapulting women’s football and women’s sport to the forefront of the public mind and agenda. Even before the FIFA Women’s World Cup ended on August 20, the Commonwealth Government announced the investment of $200 million to improve sporting facilities and equipment specifically for women and girls. The?Play our Way?grants program will promote equal access, build more suitable facilities, and support grassroots initiatives to get women and girls to engage, stay, and participate in sport throughout their lives.

It was an event that unified our nation, but the fall out in other corners of the world has been equally notable, and unfortunately, extremely divisive. Alleged misconduct by the Spanish Football Federation’s President, Luis Rubiales, has cast a spotlight on already festering disharmony in Spanish women’s football. This fractured relationship between players and the Federation has ultimately led to over 80 of Spain’s top female football players signing a petition stating they will not play until the President resigns. All but one of the coaching staff who travelled to Australia for the World Cup have also resigned and the Spanish football federation’s regional presidents have demanded that Rubiales “immediately resign”. The issue has thrust the topic of safeguarding in sport into the front of the public conscience, both in Australia and around the world, and raises wider issues of workplace safety, and the positive duty compliance now mandated by law in Australia.

The power of sport to unite – or divide – has perhaps never been more visible than it is now.

The Intersection of Law and Sport

In the past people may have said that sports law was simply different areas of the law, and different legal principles, applied to sport.? While that may have been true a decade ago, Sport has burst through the defensive line and created its own space where legal solutions need to be fit-for-purpose.

In Australia, and Internationally, we have tribunals that apply sport specific rules to unique sporting circumstances. Worldwide, we have anti-doping and fair play rules and regulations which ensure fair competition and seek to maintain the integrity of sport. Commercially, athlete contracts have specific and unique clauses differentiating them from traditional employment contracts. And the list of unique, fit-for-purpose legal solutions in the sporting industry goes on.

As the world of sport evolves, so too does the legal landscape that surrounds it. We are thrilled to present this special edition of our newsletter ahead of the upcoming event, “The Great Debate: Does Sport Unite or Divide Us?” This event is a platform for thought-provoking discussions about the multifaceted roles of sport in our society and Synergy Group is proud to be the major sponsor. As we explore the unique legal aspects of the sports world in this newsletter, we are also excited to contribute to conversations that extend beyond the courtroom and into the heart of societal dynamics.

Like any high-performing team, Synergy Law recognises the best results are achieved through collaboration and teamwork. We were thrilled to collaborate with the CreativeXPeople to curate this sport specific Newsletter. We hope you enjoy this special edition of the Synergy ‘Sports’ Law Newsletter where we explore the dynamic landscape of sport and how it intersects with the law and society.

Synsights

How to Get into Sports Law - Advice I was given and How I am Following It

In his article Ethan Rozanic , our Senior Paralegal, shares a conversation he had with a senior AFL official and how he is taking that advice to help him forge a career in the Sports Law sector.

Read the article here.

The power of team culture in shaping experience in sport and at work

Drawing on his experience from the professional sporting world, former Brumby and Waratahs Rugby Union Player, now Senior Consultant in the CreativeXPeople team, Cameron Clark OLY writes about the importance of developing a healthy culture in any organisation. Cameron reminds us that a winning culture is not accidental, it is intentionally nurtured.

Read the article here.

Active ageing: the role continued physical activity has in giving ageing people more good days doing the things they love

‘Use it or lose it’. Renee Fuller , our Executive Director of CreativeXPeople looks at active ageing and the benefits continued physical activity has on helping older people maintain a level of independence and connection with community.

Read the article here.

Good Governance in Sport

Chloe Hosking OLY , Paralegal and professional cyclist, has represented Australia at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. She has witnessed firsthand the seismic shifts in the sporting industry and in this article questions if the rules of the game are still fit for purpose.

Read the article here.

Sport and mental health

Tony Cotton is an Executive Director in Synergy Group’s CreativeXPeople team and a registered psychologist with over 30 years’ experience working in large complex workplaces. In this piece Tony discusses the benefits sport can have (on more than just our fitness) and makes a simple suggestion about how organisations might be able to bring out the best in their people.

Read the article here.

Sport Case Studies

Oscar Dart v Triathlon Australia

As we accelerate towards the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games a recent case heard in the National Sports Tribunal (NST) offers sporting bodies some sound advice. By affording procedural fairness and supporting good decision-making sporting bodies and athletes can focus on the task at hand – winning gold.

Read the case study here.

Synergy Sports Law News

Synergy Sponsors ‘The Great Debate: Sport – Does it Unite or Divide Us?’

Synergy Group is proudly supporting the Great Debate on sport for Social Sciences Week on 5 September at the National Library of Australia . Get your tickets here.

Synergy Law Added To the National Sports Tribunal Legal Assistance Panel (NSTLAP)

Synergy Law is committed to achieving, and exceeding, the National Pro Bono target of 35 hours of pro bono legal services per lawyer per year. Synergy Law was recently added to the NSTLAP. The National Sports Tribunal (NST) hears and resolves national-level sporting disputes in Australia.

Synergy Law is proud to extend our support to the sporting community in Canberra and Nationally by offering pro bono or reduced-rates for legal advice and assistance to support sports organisations and athletes to be heard before the NST.

At Synergy Law, we recognise the importance of maintaining fairness and integrity within the sporting world. We understand that legal challenges can arise within the sports industry, and we are committed to providing our expertise to help resolve these issues effectively.

Chloe and Ethan enter the SLAM

We are also excited to announce that two members of the Synergy Law team, Chloe Hosking OLY and Ethan Rozanic will be taking part in the Sports Law Arbitration Moot (SLAM) organised by LawInSport . The SLAM is a?world class competition, with the aim to promote greater knowledge of the values and rules of international sports arbitration. The regional rounds will commence later this year with the Grand Final taking place at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland in 2024.?Synergy Group is committed to empowering, uplifting and investing in our people, we’re proud to support the continued legal professional development of our legal team.