Are contact sports in trouble?

platypus

platypus

platypus

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7099629.stm

This made me think. If a judge can rule that a hand off caused injury to the extent that compensation and damages should be awarded, what's to stop countless athletes suing each other for thousands due to injuries that are picked up regularly - lets face it serious injuries happen often.

And if a European court awarded it, imagine what danger this could signal to American sports (NHL, NFL etc) in the land of the lawsuit.
 
Doesn't the law stipulate that you agree to reasonable force or similar in contact sports? i.e. you can't sue someone for punching you in the boxing ring, so why is rugby any different?
 
Well thats what I thought, and whilst one would always assume someone playing one of these games would know the risks..the case stands all the same.
 
so you sign up to play a game of Rugby but someone punches you in the kisser?

that is assault regardless

or your playing football and the same happens?

or your boxing, the end of the round rings, and then the guy ko's you from behind?

these incidents should be taken futher than purely sporting sanctions.
 
The case in question is shocking. A hand-off is a part of the game of rugby as much as punching your opponent in a boxing match.

Nickg, you've missed the point, he didn't punch his opponent he was playing the game as it was intended.

This is a very bad decision.
 
Gilly said:
Nickg, you've missed the point, he didn't punch his opponent he was playing the game as it was intended.
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Exactly, hand offs are part and parcel of rugby, an every day part of avoiding the tackle. Given what else goes on in rugby, and is accepted and just gotten on with, a hand off is pretty light.

I'm not sure your point applies to football under the same category anyway, given that it's not really supposed to be a heavy contact sport, and all the rules they've brought in to protect their players.
 
I was wondering just the other day when we would see a compensation case for an injury suffered in a contact sport.

A very sad day for sport as a whole. :(
 
Bunka: yeah, pretty much. I haven't seen the tackle but just on the briefest outline of the facts given it would appear the judges have ignored the principle of volenti non fit injuria (essentially that a volunteer/willing participant suffers no harm because they have consented to it). It is important when sports involve the potential for injury, there are obviously some instances that occur outwith the principle but a handoff is part of rugby and unless there was clear intent to injure then the benefit of the doubt should be given.
 
Do you even know what the discussion is actually about? It was a handoff that was accidentally on the guy's neck, damaging his windpipe, not a tackle.

I'm sure the decision will be appealed and the decision probably only came about because the nature of the handoff itself was misunderstood by the court.
 
Red and White said:
oh sorry. im not familiar with Rugby terms. surely pushing him in the throat isnt allowed
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he wouldnt have aimed for the throat, nor does it say that he grabbed his throat. there is a technical way to do a hand off and there doesnt seem to be a breach of this.
it is more than possible that the force of his head going back has injured his throat
 
3 weeks ago a dirty **** of an opponent raked his studs down my shin, damaging nerves, slicing my leg open and putting me out of the game for at least 3 weeks.

It was done on purpose but the ref did nothing.

This kind of thing should have people answerable. However, if a fair challenge results in an injury then it should not follow that the challenger should be answerable to a lawsuit.

I broke both a kids legs in a challenge at College. The ref didn't even give a free kick and nor did his team mates call for a foul. It was just a very, very unfortunate incident. The kind of lawsuit in the OP opens up a path for the kid whose legs I broke to sue me. Is this fair?
 
Gilly said:
3 weeks ago a dirty **** of an opponent raked his studs down my shin, damaging nerves, slicing my leg open and putting me out of the game for at least 3 weeks.

It was done on purpose but the ref did nothing.

This kind of thing should have people answerable. However, if a fair challenge results in an injury then it should not follow that the challenger should be answerable to a lawsuit.

I broke both a kids legs in a challenge at College. The ref didn't even give a free kick and nor did his team mates call for a foul. It was just a very, very unfortunate incident. The kind of lawsuit in the OP opens up a path for the kid whose legs I broke to sue me. Is this fair?
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how do you distinguish though. the guy who raked your leg could say it was an accident in the same way you said it was an accident when you broke someones legs. i realise a lot of the time its obvious but nothing that would hold up in court. it would have to be a suing for everybody or no one.
 
Red and White said:
how do you distinguish though. the guy who raked your leg could say it was an accident in the same way you said it was an accident when you broke someones legs. i realise a lot of the time its obvious but nothing that would hold up in court. it would have to be a suing for everybody or no one.
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For a starters the ref gave a free kick when I was fouled but not when I was the challenger.

The opposition players apologised for the challenge on me at the end of the game, the opposition were telling me it wasn't my fault and not to feel bad when it was me putting the challenge in.

There's various ways you could distinguish it.
 
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