Elite-sport expert Rick Miller and solicitor Mark Hollinghurst explore how nutritional errors, medical oversights and high-performance pressures can lead to athlete harm — and when negligence law can help injured athletes seek justice.

Attending live sport is an exciting experience, whether it’s a football match, a motor racing event, or a local rugby fixture. When something goes wrong and a spectator is seriously injured, the effects can be devastating.

For many athletes, sponsorship can be the difference between competing at the highest level and being held back by costs. Entry fees, travel, equipment and nutrition demand constant investment, and most professional athletes need additional income to keep progressing. Sponsorship provides financial backing to cover essential costs and gives athletes access to essential resources. It also connects athletes with businesses and brands whose involvement can raise their profile and strengthen their position within their sport.

The UK is preparing for the most wide-ranging reforms to employment law in more than a decade. Through the Employment Rights Bill, new measures will reshape workplace rights and obligations for employers and employees across all sectors. In sport, these reforms will affect professional athletes, clubs, and governing bodies alike, creating both opportunities and challenges.

Sports injuries can happen to anyone, whether you’re playing competitively, training at a club, or simply enjoying sport in your free time. While many injuries are just part of being active, sometimes they happen because of negligence. If your injury was caused by poor supervision, unsafe facilities, or a lack of proper medical support, you may be able to make a claim.

Playing sport is a great way to stay active, build skills, and be part of a team. But when injuries happen, it’s not always clear who is responsible.

One of the biggest threats to female footballers today is anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. In the 2023–24 season alone, an estimated 195 elite players suffered ACL tears.