Sports

Ogier Leman is the leading sports law firm in Ireland. Our legal experience acting for sports governing bodies is unparalleled in Ireland - we have acted for more than 35 national governing bodies (NGBs), including the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Football Association of Ireland, Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Camogie, Swim Ireland, Tennis Ireland, Cycling Ireland, Gymnastics Ireland, Triathlon Ireland, Irish Sailing Association and Motorsport Ireland.  

We also act for a wide variety of clubs, athletes and commercial stakeholders and have been the official legal partner to the Federation of Irish Sport (FIS), the representative body of national governing bodies for sport in Ireland, for more than 13 years.  

We have acted for our sports clients in The Court of Arbitration for Sport, domestic arbitral bodies, the High Court in a variety of disputes including anti-doping, selection disputes, prosecuting off/on pitch infractions, challenges to internal decisions and commercial disputes. In non-contentious sports work we are typically instructed on commercial and sponsorship contracts, constitutions, disciplinary rules, governance, land acquisition and sale, licensing agreements, merchandising contracts, sports integrity rules, social media policy and data protection issues. 

We work with many sports bodies looking to introduce change to their organisations, for example overseeing the transformation of many NGBs from amateur to professionally run, which has enabled the right people to get involved and correct governance. This in turn has led to increased participation and commercial interest as well as on-field success.  

Sports services

• Annual General Meeting/Extraordinary General Meeting oversight
• Anti-doping
• Anti-corruption
• Child protection and Garda vetting
• Clubs
• Commercial, sponsorship and broadcasting agreements
• Corporate governance
• Corporate structuring
• Cyber
• Data protection issues
• Data protection / Freedom of Information
• Employment
• Equality
• Event agreements
• Gambling / gaming
• Health and safety
• Hearings and arbitration
• Injury and insurance
• IP and media rights
• Liquor licensing
• Lobbying
• Mediation and conflict resolution
• Property
• Rules and regulations
• Selection and Participation Agreements

Recent experience

• Represented national governing body (NGB) before The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in national qualification dispute
• Represented NGB client in CAS in respect of selection dispute
• Represented NGB client in Commercial Court in insurance coverage dispute
• Represented NGB client in High Court injunction in respect of internal conflict dispute
• Represented Olympic body in Olympic selection disputes
• Represented client in transformation from unincorporated body to company and transfer of assets and drafting new constitution
• Advised top 3 NGBs on application of Insurance Regulations to internal premium and collection
• Advised top 3 NGBs on severability of commercial contract