2 2 February 2004

News:

The British Horse Board (BHB) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) are believed to have come to an agreement about the future of the racing industry which will secure the future of smaller race courses.

The long awaited EU Directive on sports nutrition will have little effect on doping by top athletes but unless modified could have a severe impact on the European sports nutrition industry claims Dr Adam Carey, advisor on nutrition to the English Rugby Football Union, and chair of the recently formed European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA)

The market leading betting exchange Betfair, writing in this issue of World Sports Law Report, has gone on the attack against those who argue that betting exchanges are responsible for what is perceived as a rising wave of corruption in sport. ‘Recent scandals in racing and sport are not new,’ writes Mark Davies, Director of Communications, Betfair. ‘They are not facilitated by exchanges, and they are not exacerbated by exchanges... those who would have you believe the contrary have the single goal of wrapping exchanges in red tape for their own commercial ends.’

Features:

Behaviour undermining the integrity of a sport? The threat of governmental or European Commission intervention? A catastrophic decline in commercial rights income? The media’s column inches are invariably being filled by such issues.

Ironically interest in sport is growing substantially, horseracing in particular enjoying considerable attention for far more positive reasons than the lurid allegations that have filled the tabloids of late1. This article will consider the regulation of horse racing against that background and the external demands now being placed on it that will arguably shape its future.

The rising threat of terrorism and increasing international tensions mean that those involved in sports events ought more than ever to focus on what would happen if their event did not go ahead for reasons beyond their control. The postponement of the 2001 Ryder Cup (where European event organisers had everything ready, only for the American side to pull out just a couple of weeks before the scheduled event, following September 11) shows the importance of forward thinking and providing, so far as possible (whether as event organiser, sponsor or participant or whatever), for the cancellation or postponement of sports events. This article looks at contingency planning to deal with cancellation.

On 1 February, the Information Commissioner issued a new short guidance note - CCTV systems and the Data Protection Act 1998 (Ref JB v.5. 01/02/04). The guidance makes clear that many organisations that only use basic CCTV systems will no longer have to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. This article looks at what the guidance means for both business and public authorities.

The last few weeks have seen a barrage of stories about probity in sport. Many have pointed to the rise of online betting exchanges as a cause of the claimed rise in corruption. In this article Mark Davies, Director of Communications for market leading betting exchange Betfair, answers their critics.

In May 2003, a junior Australian Rules football league in the Melbourne suburbs banned a 13-year old footballer from playing in its competition. Not for punching an opponent, or match-fixing, or testing positive for Nandrolone. But simply because the player, Helen Taylor, is a girl. In February 2004, Miss Taylor challenged that ban in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). She won, and the tribunal’s decision may have implications for sport across Australia.1 And the Court’s arguments will be of interest to sporting organisations around the world.