Larry Fenelon spoke at the annual Sports Law seminar hosted by the Federation of Irish Sport in conjunction with the Law Society.  The seminar took place on Saturday 28 May.

Highlighting the fact that legal proceedings taken by members of the Irish Tug Of War Association were still ongoing in the High Court, some five years after they began was a shot across the bows of every sporting organisation to ensure they had adequate dispute resolution mechanisms within their rules.

Larry addressed the issue of sports bodies avoiding internal disputes in the context of disciplinary action and also membership disagreements.

Larry gave ten tips to sports clubs and national governing bodies.

1. Update and review your governing documents to ensure it provides for mechanism to resolve disagreements internally.

2. Ensure that the process is fit for purpose

3. Does the process cover disciplinary action, objections, complaints and grievances

4. Ensure that the dispute resolvers are respected and competent

5. Have you considered mediation to resolve non disciplinary disputes?

6. Populate your disciplinary committees with legal people.

7. Give adequate notice of hearings.

8. Ensure hearings follow the correct format.

9. Do not delay.

10. Communicate transparently.