Win for Northern Territory cricketer at sports law tribunal
Hall Payne Lawyers recently successfully represented a keen amateur cricket player at the Northern Territory Cricket Tribunal. Our client initially received a hefty penalty which would see him out of action on the ground for several years. Using our sports law and disciplinary law expertise, we were able to significantly reduce the penalty.
Background
The cricketer found himself in trouble over an incident with a teammate in a local match which led to him being referred directly to the NT Cricket Tribunal.
Without any legal representation and unsure of how tribunal processes worked, the player was issued a very harsh multi-year suspension.
So harsh was the penalty, he had no choice but to appeal.
After meeting with him, we determined there were several mitigating circumstances involved in the incident; including our client having been bullied and exposed to victimisation from the teammate over a long period of time. These mitigating circumstances became the focus of our appeal.
The tribunal’s decision on appeal
Using our expertise in appearing before disciplinary panels we successfully convinced the appeals panel that the penalty was too harsh.
We argued the various mitigating circumstances in relation to the bullying and victimisation. Further, we contended that the tribunal did not follow competition rules which allowed them to use their discretion in deciding an appropriate penalty rather than simply following the maximum range of sanctions available.
The appeals panel accepted our arguments that the penalty was too harsh considering the mitigating circumstances and reduced the original penalty down to only one/seventh of the original decision.
This fairer and more proportionate penalty means our client will be able to continue his weekend cricketing passion in the near future; something he was very pleased with.
Do you need legal advice?
Hall Payne Lawyers are highly skilled in advising and representing people before a range of disciplinary tribunals and bodies (including workplace disciplinary meetings) and at arbitrations. We can assist you whether it is related to your employment, professional registration or even sports and recreation.
If you need advice or representation in relation to any type of disciplinary matter, including sports law tribunal matters, you should seek advice as early as possible. Contact one of our expert lawyers today.
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This article relates to Australian law; either at a State or Federal level.
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