Bird & Bird is proud to have been appointed by Sport Resolutions to the SCMP Legal Advice Service. Sport Resolutions is a leading, independent, not for profit, dispute resolution service for sport, operating globally and offering arbitration, mediation, tribunal and expert opinion.
Sport Resolutions operates the SCMP, with support from Sport England, the National Lottery and LimeCulture, to support national sports governing bodies in relation to safeguarding matters in sport. The SCMP Legal Advice Service came into effect in September 2022 and provides governing bodies with expert legal assistance in preparing for and/or attendance at safeguarding hearings administered by Sport Resolutions. 41 sports have signed up to the service. Details about the service can be found on Sport Resolutions’ website here.
Richard Bush, head of Bird & Bird’s safeguarding in sport practice, said “We look forward to using our significant experience in sports regulation and safeguarding in sport to support national governing bodies who are signed up to the SCMP navigate often complex safeguarding matters. The SCMP Legal Advice Service is a wonderful initiative that will serve to raise standards across domestic sport in this most important of areas. We are very proud of our appointment by Sport Resolutions to the service and look forward to playing our part in it”.
Bird & Bird has significant experience (including direct in-house experience) of advising sports regulators on all aspects of safeguarding, child protection, and athlete welfare. We have advised a number of national and international governing bodies of all sizes in relation to the implementation and operation of their safeguarding, child protection and athlete welfare policies, regulations, and procedures. Further information about our safeguarding in sport practice can be found here.