Are contact sports in trouble?

platypus · 20 Nov 2007 at 09:43

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.

platypus · 20 Nov 2007 at 10:17

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.

platypus · 20 Nov 2007 at 11:02

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

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.

platypus · 20 Nov 2007 at 14:14

I guess the problem with a hand off is you don't necessarily have time or are able to aim it, you just see your opponent and then attempt to push them away to prevent the tackle. It's always been a vital part of rugby, but now surely any player, from grass-roots to international level is going to think "if I throw up a hand-off against someone and injure them, am I going to get sued?"