Just a brief note to say thanks very much to Professor Lorne Crerar and Rod McKenzie, both of Harper Macleod who, together with Bill Dunlop (another Scot) formed the independent ERC appeal committee which downgraded Lee Byrne's two match ban to a 5,000 Euro fine - leaving him free to face England on Saturday.

If I'd known Lee Byrne was in Glasgow today, I'd have offered my services to assist. I don't known anything about sports law, but I do make a nice cup of tea, and Lee used to play his rugby in Bridgend, same as cousin Gareth - so we'd have had stuff to talk about too!

Bring it on!

Labels: Glasgow, News, Sports Law

The Welsh Rugby Union claimed a major legal victory on Friday in the ongoing dispute with the country's professional clubs over player release for international games.

The four professional regional teams - Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Newport Gwent Dragons and Scarlets - said players would not be released until five days before the first Test against South Africa, whereas head coach Warren Gatland wanted a further three days preparation.

On Friday, the High Court ruled that the regions should not "prevent, hinder or obstruct" the players from attending training on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Judge Havelock Allan's decision is binding on the regions by virtue of the express terms of the Participation Agreement and their membership of the WRU.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis is quoted as saying "Welsh rugby has right on its side and common sense has prevailed."

As a result, Ospreys' winger Nikki Walker is set to join the Scottish Rugby training camp in Spain tomorrow - in preparation for autumn Tests against South Africa, New Zealand and Canada.

Labels: News, Sports Law

Graham Spiers, writing for the Times Online, reports that Rangers Football Club may soon settle an employment law dispute with 20 former employees over redundancy packages. The case will be heard by an employment tribunal in September, and concerns the agreement that Rangers entered into in March 2006 with JJB Sports over Rangers replica strips and other merchandising, resulting in nearly 200 club employees losing their jobs.

The deal meant the closure of 18 Rangers shops and the redundancy of almost 200 employees. The case appears to turn on how much information Rangers shared with their employees - under employment law, employers are required to consult timeously with their staff about collective redundancies.

One of the staff affected described the redundancy deal offered at the time as "derisory". The anonymous former employee is further quoted as saying: "It was totally insulting, what happened to us. I'm a huge Rangers fan, I'd worked for the club for many years, and I was astounded by the way the JJB deal was handled by the club. Like others, I felt angry at the way Rangers treated those of us who had helped to make their retail arm such a success."

The 20 former Rangers employees who are suing the club are represented by the GMB in Scotland.

Labels: Employment Law, News, Sports Law

News reaches us that Dumfries and Galloway Council has decided not to purchase Raydale Park, the former home of Gretna Football Club, from the administrators to be used as a sport and leisure centre "on legal advice".

On the same day, Goal.com reports that the Ugandan Football Association are threatening new Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo with legal action for absconding from work and joining another team.

FA president Lawrence Mulindwa is quoted as saying: "He is still our coach because he did not give us the three months notice in the contract, did not hand over the house, car and other items before he left."

"We are professional people and hope that Csaba also behaves in a professional manner,"

Labels: News, Sports Law