New laws in several European countries which restrict the advertising of alcohol, gambling and tobacco are threatening to impact on the tradition of businesses in these sectors sponsoring sports events, teams and individuals.

FIFA and UEFA, the governing bodies of world and European football, have submitted a legal challenge against the UK's "listed events" rules which protect sports "crown jewels" from being broadcast exclusively on pay-television.

The Italian government's approval of legislation which will result in the central selling of Serie A broadcast rights has elicited protests from broadcasters, amongst them Sky Italia.

Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympic champion and double-amputee sprinter who uses "Cheetah" racing blades, has won his appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the IAAF ruling which prevented him from competing in able-bodied competitions.

The recent race results of Dwain Chambers appear to have paved the way for the British sprinter to take the first step in his challenging the lifetime Olympic ban imposed upon him by the British Olympic Association after his admission of taking performance enhancing drugs.

A mooted quota system for club football has received the approval of FIFA's executive committee but may have been simultaneously condemned by the European Parliament as being contrary to EU free movement principles.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has released a report criticising the European Commission's White Paper on Sport for its failure to express concrete views on the interrelation between EU law and the specificity of sport.

An update on the work our Sports and Sponsorship Groups have been involved in recently.