Legal advice for athletes, clubs, agents, and sporting organisations
Sport is big business, and its legal issues are correspondingly complex. Player contracts, image rights, sponsorship, broadcast deals, governing body disputes, and disciplinary proceedings all carry significant commercial and reputational stakes, and they rarely arise in isolation.
Koffels Solicitors & Barristers advises athletes, clubs, agents, and sporting organisations on the full range of sports law matters. Our principal, Ross Koffel, is Honorary Solicitor to the Porsche Club NSW, the Lamborghini Club NSW, and the Show Jumping Club NSW, and a club representative to Motorsport Australia. That hands-on involvement in sporting governance shapes how we advise, whether the issue is a contract under negotiation or a tribunal hearing already underway.
As a full-service firm and a member of IR Global and Lawyers Associated Worldwide, we can draw on corporate, commercial, and employment expertise in-house, and on specialist colleagues overseas when a matter crosses borders.
How we help
| Area | Typical matters |
|---|---|
| Contracts and commercial | Playing contracts, agent agreements, sponsorship and naming rights, image rights, broadcast arrangements |
| Governance and discipline | Tribunal hearings, code of conduct breaches, selection disputes, governing body rules |
| Anti-doping and integrity | Anti-doping rule violations, Sport Integrity Australia investigations, match-fixing and integrity issues |
| Duty of care and injury | Concussion and serious injury claims, risk management, event and club liability |
| Disputes | Court proceedings, arbitration, the National Sports Tribunal, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport |
Contracts and commercial matters
Playing contracts, agent agreements, sponsorship and naming rights deals, image rights, and broadcast arrangements need careful drafting that reflects both Australian law and the governing body rules that sit alongside it. We advise on structuring and negotiating these arrangements, and on the restraint of trade and competition law issues that arise when they are disputed.
The NRL’s threat in 2025 of 10-year bans for players and agents who engaged with the proposed R360 rugby competition showed how quickly contract, governance, and competition law can collide. Read our analysis: NRL, R360, and the commercialisation of modern sport. See also sports contracts.
Governance and disciplinary proceedings
Governing bodies have broad powers to investigate, sanction, and ban participants. Whether you are an athlete, coach, or agent facing a disciplinary process, or a governing body enforcing its rules, we can advise on procedure and represent you in the hearing.
Tribunal proceedings follow the governing body’s rules rather than court procedure. Rights such as legal representation, reasons for decisions, and appeals vary between codes, so early advice matters. See also a legal perspective on match-fixing.
Anti-doping
Anti-doping matters involve the World Anti-Doping Code, Sport Integrity Australia, and the athlete’s own contracts and sport rules. The presence of a prohibited substance is a violation regardless of intent. To reduce a sanction, the athlete generally has to show how the substance entered their system and that they bore no or little fault. Getting advice before an interview or hearing can materially affect the outcome. Read more: drugs in sport and athlete suspensions.
Duty of care and injury liability
The duty of care owed by clubs, codes, and event organisers is under growing scrutiny in Australia, particularly for concussion and contact sport injuries. We advise organisations on risk frameworks, insurance, and incident management, and act for participants who have been seriously injured. In NSW, the Civil Liability Act 2002 includes specific defences for dangerous recreational activities, which can be decisive in sports injury claims.
Read more: sport-related concussions and dangerous recreational activities.
Child safety in sport
Sporting clubs have obligations to keep children safe, and can be liable for abuse that occurs in their programs. We act for survivors of abuse in sport and advise clubs on their obligations. Read more: abuse in sports clubs.
Disputes and litigation
When a sports law matter becomes a formal dispute, we advise on the right forum, whether the courts, commercial arbitration, the National Sports Tribunal, or the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and represent clients through to resolution.
Equestrian and motor sport
Ross Koffel’s roles with the Show Jumping Club NSW and Motorsport Australia reflect a long-standing connection to both sports. For horse sales, bloodstock disputes, and equestrian governance, see our equestrian and equine law page.
Frequently asked questions
What should a player contract include to protect an athlete’s image rights?
It’s best to deal with image rights separately from the playing terms. Key points include what the club may use (name, likeness, image), in which media and contexts, for how long, whether the licence continues after the playing contract ends, and how income from the athlete’s image is shared. Without clear drafting, disputes are common, particularly when an athlete’s profile grows during the contract.
Can a governing body ban a player or agent for joining a rival competition?
Governing bodies have tried, as with the NRL’s threatened 10-year bans over the proposed R360 competition in 2025. Whether such a ban is enforceable depends on restraint of trade law: the restriction must be no more than reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate interest and must not be contrary to the public interest. Competition law under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 may also apply. Each situation needs specific advice.
What are the legal risks for a club or event organiser when a serious injury occurs?
Clubs and organisers owe a duty of care to participants and, in some cases, spectators. A serious injury can lead to a negligence claim if reasonable precautions were not taken, such as proper equipment, enforced safety rules, or return-to-play protocols. Concussion claims are a growing area. Defences for dangerous recreational activities may also apply in NSW. Organisations should review their risk management, insurance, and incident procedures before an injury occurs.
How are sports tribunal hearings different from court?
Tribunal hearings follow the governing body’s rules rather than court procedure, but the consequences, including suspensions, fines, and bans, can be serious. Rights to legal representation, reasons, and appeals vary between codes. In anti-doping cases, the presence of a prohibited substance is a violation regardless of intent, so advice before the hearing is important.
What is the National Sports Tribunal?
The National Sports Tribunal is an independent federal body, established in 2020, that hears certain sports disputes, including anti-doping, disciplinary, selection, and eligibility matters, where the sport’s rules allow it. It offers a lower-cost alternative to the courts and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Does Koffels advise on sports law matters outside NSW?
Yes. Sports law matters often cross state and national borders. Through IR Global and Lawyers Associated Worldwide, we work with specialist colleagues in other countries when a matter requires it.
Talk to us
For advice on a contract, a tribunal hearing, an anti-doping matter, or an injury claim, call 02 9283 5599 or use the form below.
