The recent FA Regulatory Commission and FA Appeal Board decisions involving Marco Da Silva and Aleksander Mitrovic of Fulham FC provide helpful guidance to those involved with FA disciplinary proceedings.

The recent case of The FA v Chris Maguire provided a rare example of a successful appeal against a Regulatory Commission’s decision concerning sanctions imposed on a Participant for breaches of The FA Rules, rule E8.1. This article explains the original and appeal decision, and provides a useful reminder of the importance of sanction guidelines and the need for Regulatory Commissions to provide sufficiently clear written reasons.

A recent decision by an FA Appeal Board in the case of The FA v Imran Louza considered the standard of proof applicable to cases of “serious Misconduct” and the proposition that the more serious the allegation the more cogent the evidence must be to prove the same. This article explains the FA Appeal Board’s written reasons and considers whether the same has caused any change.

At the end of Everton FC’s match against Manchester United FC on 9 April 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo was videoed slapping a mobile phone out of a 14-year-old’s hand as he walked down the players’ tunnel after the match had finished. Ronaldo was charged by The FA for a breach of rule E3.1 of The FA Rules, which he admitted. This article explains the Regulatory Commission’s approach to determining the appropriate sanction to impose on Ronaldo.

What constitutes an ‘assault’ in the FA Disciplinary Regulations? Where is the line to be drawn within the FA Disciplinary Regulations between an ‘assault’ and the lesser offence of ‘physical contact’? A recent decision of an FA Appeal Board has provided some much-needed clarity on this issue but also raised further questions that need answering.

On 27 October 2022 the written reasons of the EFL Disciplinary Commission were published in a case concerning an acquisition of shares in Rochdale AFC in July 2021. The acquisition had been completed without compliance with the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test and resulted in sanctions being imposed on Rochdale AFC and certain individuals involved with the acquisition.

At the end of a hotly contested Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC on 14 August 2022, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte shook hands and an incident followed. Both managers were charged with a breach of rule E3.1 of The FA Rules and were sanctioned by an FA Regulatory Commission. Mr Tuchel received a more severe sanction and then unsuccessfully appealed against the same to an FA Appeal Board. This article explains both decisions.

There has been an increase in the use of flares and smoke bombs at football matches over the last year. A recent decision from an FA Regulatory Commission dealt with Richarlison de Andrade’s throwing of a flare back into the stands at Goodison Park, and there have been increased efforts to stamp down on their use generally. This articles explains the Regulatory Commission’s decision and considers those efforts.

After over one year of being away, Football Law is back - your go-to resource for overviews of football’s institutions and procedures, and analysis of the latest football law news and decisions.

On Sunday 18 April the European Super League (“ESL”) issued a press release stating that ‘Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs’. This article considers what challenges the ESL and its Founding Clubs face in seeking to create its proposed new mid-week competition, and whether the ESL could oppose those challenges.

This article explains when compensation is payable in respect of academy players moving from one club to another, the role of the Professional Football Compensation Committee in respect of the same, and considers the record amount of compensation awarded recently for Harvey Elliott’s move from Fulham FC to Liverpool FC.

On 11 March 2021 the FA announced that an FA Regulatory Commission had sanctioned referee Darren Drysdale with a four-match backdated suspension for an incident involving Ipswich Town FC’s Alan Judge during an EFL League One match. This article summarises and explains the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision and considers whether Alan Judge could also face a charge in respect of the same incident.

On 5 March 2021 two judgments from HHJ Pelling QC were handed down that concerned the ongoing arbitral proceedings between Newcastle United FC and the FA Premier League. This article explains those decisions and considers how they fit with the ongoing arbitral proceedings between the parties.

On 12 February 2021 the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision on the sanction imposed on Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for a breach of the FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations (“FAADR”) was announced. This article explains how the lex mitior principle applied to this breach of the FAADR and allowed Mr Mendez-Laing to avoid a potential two-year suspension.

On 31 December 2020 it was announced that Edinson Cavani had admitted a charge of an Aggravated Breach of the FA Rules, rule E3.1 in respect of an Instagram story post. A FA Regulatory Commission subsequently sanctioned Cavani with a three-match suspension, a £100,000 fine, and attendance at an education programme. This article explains why that sanction was appropriate.