Play On the Morgan Sports Law Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the proposed independent regulator for English football and the White Paper which was released on Thursday 23 February 2023. Ben Cisneros and Donna Bartley are joined by Dr Christina Philippou (Portsmouth University) and Christopher Davis (Oxera Consulting).

In this episode, we discuss Morgan Sports Law and Harbour's innovative litigation funding scheme available to professional footballers which takes the risk out of pursuing claims before the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Host, Donna Bartley (Senior Associate at Morgan Sports Law) is joined by Harbour Associate Director, Diogo Gouveia, and Morgan Sports Law's Nick Williams and William Sternheimer.

In this episode, we discuss the newly-launched Women's Rugby Association – an independent trade union representing Allianz Premier 15s players. Host, Nick Williams (Barrister at Morgan Sports Law) is joined by former England international and CEO of the WRA, Danielle ‘Nolli' Waterman; Polly Barnes, a Director of the WRA, and Morgan Sports Law's Ben Cisneros.

A year on from our ‘Head in the Game' conference on concussion in sport, we have collated some highlights from the event, in which our guests discuss a range of issues on the topic, which remain just as relevant today.  

In this episode we look back at the significant governance reforms approved by World Rugby over the past year, including the ground-breaking decision to allow players to change their international allegiance.Host Ben Cisneros (Trainee Solicitor at Morgan Sports Law) is joined by former international women's rugby player for Wales and Managing Director of FairPlay, Amanda Bennett, and former rugby player and CEO of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare, Dan Leo. 

In this episode we discuss the topic of athletes' mental health, which has been the subject of recent, and long overdue, attention. Host Tom Seamer (barrister at Morgan Sports Law) is joined by athlete and Olympic gold medallist Tianna Bartoletta, sports psychologist Dr Josephine Perry, and former cyclist and Olympic gold medallist Callum Skinner.

In this episode we discuss Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter and the restrictions it imposes on athletes' exploitation of their own image. Host, Ben Cisneros (Trainee Solicitor, Morgan Sports Law) is joined by special guests Karla Borger (Beach Volleyball Player & Olympian), Rob Koehler (Director General of Global Athlete) as well as Donna Bartley (Senior Associate, Morgan Sports Law).

In Part Two of a two-part series, we discuss the issue of arbitrator diversity and how the CAS might evolve. Host Tom Seamer is joined by special guests Dr Antoine Duval (Senior Researcher at the TMC Asser Instituut) and Dr Marjolaine Viret (Counsel at PMA Avocats), and by MSL partner and CAS expert William Sternheimer.

In this episode, hosted by Morgan Sports Law Trainee Solicitor, Ben Cisneros, we discuss Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter and how the International Olympic Committee seeks to curtail athletes' freedom of expression at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We are joined by special guests, Nikki Dryden (Olympian & Human Rights Lawyer), Caradh O'Donovan (World Champion Kickboxer & Co-Founder of Global Athlete) and Donna Bartley (Senior Associate, Morgan Sports Law).

In this episode, Morgan Sports Law Associate, Lisa Jones hosts a conversation on regulatory reform, legal protection and other issues in women's cycling with guests Iris Slappendel and Rhian Ravenscroft of The Cyclists' Alliance, an association founded to support female cyclists, run by former and current professional riders.

In this episode of the Play On podcast (recorded in French), we discuss the ongoing issue of racism in football. This episode is hosted by Morgan Sports Law Partner, William Sternheimer, joined by Imen Larabi from our Football Disputes team and external guest speakers Grégory Durand, Director Sports Legal Affairs and Institutional Relations of Paris Saint-Germain, and Patrick Vieira, former French international football player.

Part Two of a two-part series on esports, the panel discuss why broken contracts are so common in esports, their thoughts on TFUE v FaZe Clan, and two possible remedies to player exploitation. Morgan Sports Law Barrister and Host, Nick Williams is joined by featured guests, Dom Sacco, Editor and Founder of Esports News UK, Josh Furneaux, Player Agent at ICM Stellar Esports, Alex Wise, Analyst and Academy Head Coach at Nordavind Gaming, and Julia Cwierz, Morgan Sports Law Paralegal and competitive esports player.

Part One of a two-part series on esports, this episode discusses the demise of Munster Rugby Gaming/Phelan Gaming, why contracts are so frequently broken in esports, and possible remedies to player exploitation. Morgan Sports Law Barrister and Host, Nick Williams is joined by featured guests, Dom Sacco, Editor and Founder of Esports News UK, Josh Furneaux, Player Agent at ICM Stellar Esports, Alex Wise, Analyst and Academy Head Coach at Nordavind Gaming, and Julia Cwierz, Morgan Sports Law Paralegal and competitive esports player.If you are unfamiliar with the topic, Dom's coverage of the story can be found here: https://esports-news.co.uk/2021/01/01/munster-rugby-gaming-late-payments-nlc/

In Part One of a two-part series, we discuss potential causes for concern for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Host Tom Seamer is joined by CAS expert and partner of the firm, William Sternheimer, as well as special guests, Dr Marjolaine Viret (Counsel at PMA Pedrazzini Martin-Achard Avocats) and Dr Antoine Duval (Senior Researcher at the TMC Asser Instituut).

In this episode of the Play On podcast (recorded in French), we discuss article 19 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players which provide for exceptions to the general principle of prohibition of international transfers of minors. This episode is hosted by Morgan Sports Law partner, William Sternheimer joined by Imen Larabi from our Football Disputes team and external guest speakers Heïdi Verdet, General Secretary of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, and Jérôme Perlemuter, General Secretary of World Leagues Forum.

In this episode we discuss the recent amendments to FIFA's eligibility and change of association rules and what this means for players, clubs and national teams. Host and Morgan Sports Law barrister Tom Seamer is joined by James Kitching Director of Football Regulatory at FIFA, Leticia de Bergia Legal Advisor at the Spanish Football Federation and Mario Flores Chemor, a former Associate at Morgan Sports Law who is now Head of Sports Legal at the European Club Association.

In this episode of the Play On podcast, we discuss World Rugby's ongoing governance review, with a particular focus on the perspective of the Pacific Islands. Host, Tom Seamer is joined by Morgan Sports Law trainee, Ben Cisneros, Pacific Rugby Players Welfare CEO, Dan Leo and Australia rugby international, Matt Toomua to discuss their thoughts on how the governance review could be used to bring about change in the sport, globally. 

In this Spanish spoken episode, host and Morgan Sports Law associate Mario Flores Chemor is joined by Gema Barrasa, Head of Legal at Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, Patricia Rodriguez, CEO at Elche CF and Marco Amezcua, Senior Legal Counsel at FIFA's Professional Football Department to discuss Articles 18bis and 18ter of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

In this episode, we discuss the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In particular we explore various differences between commercial arbitration and sports law arbitration at the CAS. Host Tom Seamer is joined by former CAS Deputy Secretary General and partner of Morgan Sports Law, William Sternheimer, as well as by two current CAS arbitrators, Jennifer Kirby of Kirby Arbitration and Andrew McDougall QC of White & Case.

Part Two of a two-part series on Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter. In this episode the panel discuss potential alternatives to Rule 50.2, whether such a rule is necessary at all, and what (if any) changes they foresee ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Host and Morgan Sports Law barrister Tom Seamer is joined by Nii Anteson from our litigation team, Olympic Gold Medallist Tianna Bartoletta, and the Executive Director of the World Players Association, Brendan Schwab.

Part One of a two-part series on Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits athlete protests during the Olympic games. In this episode, host and Morgan Sports Law barrister Tom Seamer is joined by Nii Anteson from our litigation team, Olympic Gold Medallist Tianna Bartoletta, and the Executive Director of the World Players Association, Brendan Schwab to discuss Rule 50.2 in the context of recent athlete demonstrations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

In this episode we discuss FIFA's latest COVID-19 regulatory guidelines (released on 11 June), which are designed to assist clubs, players, coaches and their representatives in navigating their way through the various employment contract issues that have arisen, and will arise, as a result of the pandemic.Host and Morgan Sports Law barrister Tom Seamer is joined by Mario Flores Chemor from our Football Disputes team and external guest speakers Alexandra Gómez Bruinewoud, Senior Legal Counsel at FIFPRO, and Omar Ongaro, who is a football regulatory expert and Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber. 

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