• Antonio Giraudo, a former Director of Juventus football club, has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in connection to a life ban issued by the Italian football association (FIGC) in 2011 for his part in the 2006 ‘Calciopoli’ match-fixing scandal, reports Il Sole 24 Ore. It is understood that Giraudo argues that Italy violated Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by allowing sporting organisations to set up disciplinary courts, preventing access to a court of law and preventing a fair trial. As such, the case has ramifications for the entire sporting regulatory system. It is understood that Giraudo is represented by Jean-Louis Dupont, the Belgian lawyer who represented Jean-Marc Bosman in his successful challenge to the European football transfer system, which he argued violated European freedom of movement rules.

• The Tonga National Rugby League (TNRL) has been expelled from membership of International Rugby League (IRL), the international federation announced. The TNRL has been provisionally suspended since 26 September 2019, after an IRL statement outlined that the former Tongan Prime Minister had advised that the TNRL had lost the trust and support of members, clubs and players. In a 10 March statement, the new Tongan Prime Minister advises that the Government doesn’t support the IRL’s expulsion of the TNRL. The IRL said that it ‘expects an application for membership to be received from the Tongan rugby league community’.

• The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has postponed the 2020 Champions League, Europa League, and Women’s Champions League finals, all of which were scheduled for May 2020. A statement outlined that no decision has been taken on future dates.