HCR Law advises sports clients on major deals and disputes

Our Sports Law team advises governing bodies, clubs, organisations and individuals across elite and professional sport. These case studies show how we support sports clients on high-value commercial transactions, safeguarding matters and regulatory disputes.

Advising on £100m racecourse investment

HCR Law’s London Commercial team advised the largest commercial group in British horseracing, on a long term and financially significant partnership.

Supporting major investment across its 15 racecourses, the agreement covers catering, hospitality packages, conferencing and events, and will enhance the customer experience for racegoers, participants and stakeholders nationwide.

The team, led by Raj Pahuja, worked closely with colleagues in HCR’s Employment and Banking and Finance teams to deliver the transaction against tight deadlines. The deal will drive long-term improvements across their racecourse portfolio.

Defending an elite coach in safeguarding proceedings

HCR Law acted for a senior elite gymnastics coach facing safeguarding allegations within the sport. The matter spanned several years and had significant professional, personal and commercial consequences for the client.

Kate Oliver, a specialist in safeguarding in sport and an accredited police station representative, advised and represented the client throughout the process. This included attending police interviews and sports regulatory proceedings.

Our specialist sports safeguarding team prepared the case in full, managing a substantial volume of evidence and coordinating a strong defence strategy. Kate worked closely with specialist counsel to present the case before an independent sports disciplinary panel.

Ultimately, the allegations were not upheld, other than matters the client had accepted. The client was reinstated and has since returned to coaching within the sport.

Throughout the matter, Kate and the team also supported the client with reputational issues and the wider impact on their sporting business.

Kate leads HCR Law’s Sports, Media and Entertainment sector and is widely recognised for her expertise in safeguarding in sport, advising individuals and governing bodies across the industry.

Governance, eligibility and disciplinary advice for a national governing body

HCR Law advised a national governing body on drafting rule changes to introduce new processes governing athlete eligibility for specific competitions. This specialist work, led by Iain Colville, required detailed understanding of the sport’s existing rules and alignment with wider governance criteria to ensure consistency and fairness.

In a related matter, we acted for the governing body when a competitor threatened to appeal a decision declaring them ineligible to compete. The dispute was successfully mediated before a specialist mediator on the day before the competition began, resulting in settlement terms.

We also advised separately on disciplinary proceedings against a member athlete concerning unauthorised medical treatment before an international competition, alongside parallel investigations by the international governing body. The proceedings concluded with a substantial fine and suspension.