The recent clash between the Adelaide Crows and Sydney Swans has been surrounded in controversy following the referee’s failure to correctly award Adelaide a goal during the final quarter. In this article, James Whitfield explores the reasons why no avenues of review exist for the Crows, and assess options for reforming the AFL’s score review process.

The rules of Tennis are as old as they are unique. In the latest MSLA Microblog, James Accadia examines some of these rules from players grunting to Wimbledon’s all white dress code.

Formula One’s appeal process featured heavily in its return to Albert Park this year with highly technical regulations being subject to scrutiny by stewards and teams.

Grace Bailey outlines the F1 appeals process and sheds light on both the risks and resolutions that teams may encounter when seeking to appeal a decision.

The PGA Tour is engaged in a bitter dispute with LIV Golf since the tournament’s establishment in 2022. However, the PGA Tour may have been acting in breach of anti competition laws. In the latest MSLA Microblog piece, Ben Stirling examines some of the key issues surrounding the dispute and considers how this dispute could play out in the Australian context.

James Whitfort outlines the challenges the AFL may face in utilising the ‘Devils’ moniker for their newest team, prompting discussions of Australia’s trademark laws and potential solutions that could resolve the situation between the AFL and Warner Bros.

Gillon McLachlan announced his decision to resign as CEO from the AFL late last year, however as of now he still remains in his current position with no indication of a replacement. In the latest MSLA Microblog, James Accadia examines the governance structure of the AFL Board and the regulations outlined in the AFL Constitution for the appointment of a new CEO

What are the odds of increased regulation of gambling advertisements in sports?

Hannah Davies outlines how the federal parliamentary inquiry into online gambling is in full swing, prompting discussion as to whether we can expect regulation to reduce the amount of gambling advertising around Australia’s top sporting codes.

Image source: Nine Publishing

Manchester United are up for sale, but the two most prominent bids by Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe raise issues regarding multi-club ownership and sports washing.

Luke Karapetsas explores these issues in the latest MSLA Microblog piece.

Sporting events have a significant impact on the environment, and this can be attributed to the lack of legal frameworks and policies around promoting sustainable practices and climate-conscious actions.

Will the NCAA's Name, Image and Likeness reforms enfranchise college athletes in the United States?

MSLA Treasurer Alexander McDonald provides a recap of Professor Marc Edelman's Australian + New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA) lecture on NIL rights and issues faced by college athletes, the NCAA's reforms and where further action is needed to ensure fairness and transparency in elite collegiate sport in the United States.

On Monday 6 March, and just two days before its arrival, the National Basketball Association (‘NBA’) and the National Basketball Players Association (‘NBPA’) agreed to extend an early opt-out deadline for their existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

In this Microblog, Thomas Dillon of the Melbourne Sports Law Association examines the key issues in the current negotiations between the NBA and NBPA, and explores how the unique experiences of Australian players Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, may influence the final outcome of the CBA.

For years, debate over the adequacy of concussion protocols has plagued the AFL. Now, former players are planning class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria seeking compensation for concussions suffered. In examining this issue, Olivia Nibbs of the Melbourne Sports Law Association explores the proposed legal action.

The AFL is cloaked in another racism scandal. Olivia analyses the current Hawthorn racism situation at Hawthorn and raises the question of (yet again) the failings of the AFL's internal governance mechanisms and internal investigative functions.

Fast-forward to the present from the early partnership between NBA and blockchain technology studios, the ground-breaking non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, NBA Top Shot, allows fans to purchase and trade digital highlight clips and leads the market in digital sports collectibles. Despite a recent dampening in expectations following a decline, wider developments in the sports sector indicate that the commoditisation of scarce, digital assets remains to stay.

Picture this: nearing the end of the first half of a soccer match, Jordan Jones from Swansea is in possession of the ball. Running towards goal along the touch line, he is caught up and tackled by Jayden Harris from the other team. The referee says play on. No foul. No yellow or red card. Jones cannot stand up. This tackle has resulted in a serious injury to his right ankle, ruining his professional career. Can Mr Jones pursue any legal remedy?

As the war in Ukraine continues to wage on, sporting organisations continue to impose additional sanctions, barring Russian and Belrussian athletes from competing in their respective sports. Following in the footsteps of others, Wimbledon announced on the 20th of April that Russian and Belrussian tennis players will not be allowed to compete at this year’s tournament.

In this MicroBlog Susie explores the divergent attitudes within the tennis community towards Wimbledon’s decision, as well as the potential political effects of implementing such sanctions.

Environmental, social, and governance (‘ESG’) are issues that are an “ever-growing trend” in world sport. The CEO of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Claude Atcher who has reiterated this, stating that “France 2023 has embraced a vision: to have a positive impact for rugby, the planet and France by delivering a responsible event that addresses the challenges of today and tomorrow. Rugby World Cup 2023 will be more than a sporting event. It will leave a legacy”. In this Microblog piece, Nick Johnston of MSLA explores this statement that highlights the impact of ESG criteria on Major Sporting Events (MSEs) with ESG encompassing a broad range of issues.

Name, Image, and Likeness, or better known as ‘NIL’, allows for the monetization of over four hundred and eighty thousand collegiate athletes across America. Thanks to a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, the NCAA ended its long-lasting ban on student athletes earning money from endorsement deals. In this Microblog piece, Angelo Cioccio of MSLA explores the NCAA’s new endorsement policy.

The polarising debate surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in single sex sporting competitions is a convergence of legal, political and ethical questions. In examining this issue, Olivia Nibbs of MSLA explores the recently introduced "Save Women's Sport" Bill in Australia and its implications on human rights in sports.