Aus Sports Law

Home
Australia
Gold Coast, QLD
Aus Sports Law

A page dedicated to shedding light on the law behind sport in Australia. Authored by Sports Lawyer, Matt Krog. Follow on Instagram:

10/07/2025

Chris Titley is building something special with the rapidly-growing Scoreboard Podcast, creating space for real conversations across sport, business, investment, and leadership.

Chris is the ideal client for us - a genuinely good person with real ambition and an undying passion for sport.

We’ve been pleased to support Chris, and look forward to supporting him in any way we can as he continues to make a meaningful impact in the business of sport.

28/04/2025

Very proud to share that I have been selected as a finalist for Commercial Partner of the Year in Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 Awards!

Being recognised as one of the country’s leading commercial lawyers is incredibly humbling, and I am especially proud that this recognition reflects the work I have done in the sporting industry.

In sport, success is measured clearly by results; a race or match won, a medal or trophy earned. Outside of the field of play, the markers of success are less obvious. That’s why I have always focused on setting high standards and pushing myself to deliver the best outcomes for clients. Receiving recognition like this is a rewarding reminder that those efforts make a difference.

It’s particularly special to receive this recognition as a proud Gold Coast resident, especially as the city positions itself as the country’s leading sporting hub. I hope this recognition serves to show, in some small way, that the Gold Coast is more than capable of competing with other key sporting regions across the country.

A special thank you to my clients, colleagues, and everyone who continues to support my journey. I am very grateful!

01/04/2025

In any industry, having the right person for the job makes all the difference. You wouldn’t hire a general PT to manage an elite athlete’s strength and conditioning. You’d engage an S&C coach who understands the sport, its demands, and its risks inside and out.

The same applies to legal and business decisions in sport. A sports lawyer isn’t just a lawyer who happens to work with sports clients. They understand the unique regulations, commercial realities, and governance structures that shape the industry. They know the difference between a standard sponsorship agreement and one with complex third-party restriction considerations. They understand the regulatory bodies and integrity frameworks that can make or break a career or business.

My clients don’t need to waste time explaining how their industry works. I already know. They come to me because I understand their world, the challenges they face, and what’s at stake. That means they can focus on their business while I handle the legal complexities that come with it.

If a pastoralist came to me with mining tenement issues, I wouldn’t be the right person for the job. That’s not my area, and they wouldn’t get the best advice from me. The same applies in sport. An athlete or sports business doesn’t just need a lawyer. It needs a lawyer who knows the industry inside and out. Because in sport, like in business, the smallest details often determine the outcome.

If your organisation is operating in the sports industry, it makes sense to have a legal team that knows the field just as well as you do.

12/11/2024

When thinking of the big games like State of Origin, fans’ minds often go to moments like big Marty Lang coming off the back fence charging into a sea of blue jerseys. It could be considered the ultimate test of strength and courage, and fans always long to see their team belt the other side in the opening exchange.

Whilst it is great to watch, the costs of these collisions to athletes can be quite high, with instances of concussions arising more often in connection with kick-offs than in general play. This is primarily due to the fact that heavy, fast and athletic elite athletes are sailing into each other from 50-60 metres apart with no padding or helmets.

The increased prevalence of these injuries has reportedly prompted the NRL to reconsider its kick-off rules by proposing to penalise teams for kicking off too deep with a 7 tackle set. If changed, the NRL would in some ways be following the NFL, who has recently adjusted its kick-off rules to protect against the risk associated with kick-offs by reducing the distance between offensive and defensive teams from the kick off.

Both sports’ governing bodies appear to be taking action to reduce the risk of negligence claims being made by future athletes, who could look to claim that the NRL failed to take reasonable steps to protect them from foreseeable risks of harm. If successful, athletes would look to receive compensation for the harm they suffered, which can include costs for medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering associated with the injuries they sustained.

Should the kick-off rules be changed? If so, what should be done?

04/11/2024

It’s being reported that NRL player, Terrell May, has issued cease and desist letters to the operators of various social media pages in response to alleged defamatory comments made on posts surrounding May being given permission by the Sydney Roosters to negotiate with other clubs. This is despite May only having just recently re-signed witn the club.

Social media is very often used by users to comment on current affairs, however, comments which defame a person can lead to serious consequences for the commenter, the original post publisher and any other person who shares the post.

It is important for athletes to protect their reputation as defamatory comments can directly affect their future employment prospects and their brand, affecting their ability to generate income from their name image or likeness.

In Australia, a person who is defamed must issue a concerns notice before they are able to commence proceedings against a publisher of defamatory material. In essence, the defamed person must identify in the concerns notice the defamatory comments, the defamatory imputations that those comments carry and the loss that the defamed person has suffered as a consequence of that publication. The publisher must then be provided with an opportunity to make an offer to make amends.

31/10/2024

Melbourne’s Joel Smith has received a four-year ban following an in-competition positive test for co***ne after an August 2023 game at the MCG.

This penalty, confirmed by Sport Integrity Australia, also includes trafficking allegations, with Smith reportedly offering the substance to teammates.

Under Article 2.1 and Article 2.7 of the WADA Code, which address the presence of banned substances and trafficking, Smith’s actions meet the criteria for severe penalties.

His father, Shaun Smith, has previously claimed that Joel is being made a “scapegoat,” while the AFL and SIA are expected to formalise the ban soon, prompting deeper scrutiny of Melbourne’s team culture.

17/10/2024

That smell in the air? It’s the smell of the summer of cricket, where we’ll be treated to Mitchell Starc’s hooping inswingers and Megan Schutt’s jaffas.

In this post, I break down how the Cricket Australia contracting model works and what the national level athletes are getting paid.

You will see that a point system is in place for those players who are not initially contracted by Cricket Australia but play enough games to achieve an upgraded contract. Unfortunately, this model doesn’t reward you for knocking your Grandma’s off stump out of the ground at Christmas, but AusSportsLaw’s most definitely does.

12/10/2024

Bathurst 1000 is one of Australia’s biggest motorsport events, but behind the scenes, a lot goes into getting a driver through the ranks and on the track.

From agreements with their teams to finding the right sponsors, racing in Australia comes with a hefty price tag, ranging from the tens of thousands at grassroots levels to the millions at the elite levels.

Here’s a look at some of the things that a driver’s agreement covers and why sponsors are so important.

Address

155 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes
Gold Coast, QLD
4227

Website

http://AusSportsLaw.com.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Aus Sports Law posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Law Practice in Gold Coast?