The Sports Law Conference NI 2024 took place on Friday, 15 November at Law Society House, bringing together 91 delegates from across the sports and legal sectors to explore key issues surrounding women in sport, diversity, and governance. With a diverse line up of speakers and panel discussions, the conference provided valuable insights and practical ideas to drive meaningful change.
The event opened with an address by The Honourable Madam Justice Denise McBride, who emphasised the urgent need for legal frameworks to address gender inequalities in sport. She highlighted the importance of representation and role models in creating a more equitable sporting landscape. Keith McGarry, of Sports Law NI, expanded on this theme, offering reflections on the persistent disparities in the sector and proposing actionable steps to promote equality. Professor Jack Anderson, an expert in global sports law, followed with insights into current research and the challenges affecting sport globally, focusing on governance, commercial pressures, and regulatory changes that continue to shape the industry.
Attendees were introduced to compelling data and research from Nora Stapleton of Sport Ireland, who outlined how innovative policies and programmes are reshaping opportunities for women in sport. Lisa O’Keefe MBE, representing the International Working Group on Women and Sport, explored what makes policies effective, drawing on case studies from international initiatives to illustrate the value of collaboration and insight-sharing.
A particularly inspiring session focused on Olympic and Paralympic reflections. Sinead Chambers, GB Paralympic physiotherapist, shared her experiences working with elite athletes and the challenges of supporting high performance on the global stage. Rachel McCann, who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics, spoke about her dual journey of excelling in sport while pursuing a PhD, highlighting the resilience required to balance these demanding paths. Lady Mary Peters, Olympic Gold Medallist from the 1972 Munich Games, reflected on her distinguished career and discussed the impact of the Mary Peters Trust, which has supported over 4,000 Northern Irish athletes during its four decades of operation.
The day concluded with a thought-provoking expert panel discussion, featuring Feargal Logan (Logan & Corry Solicitors), Andrew Nixon (Sheridans London), Angela Platt (Irish Football Association), Bernie Fox (GAA), and David Humphreys MBE (Performance Director, IRFU). The panel explored a range of topics, including governance, diversity, and high performance, offering practical insights to address the challenges faced by the sports sector.
The conference underscored the importance of collaboration and the exchange of ideas in driving progress across sport and law. With the Sports Law Conference NI 2024 now successfully concluded, planning is already underway for next year’s event, which will build on this year’s success and continue fostering positive change.
A special thank you goes to Ken Nixon and Keith McGarry, our co-chairs, for their tireless efforts in organising the event. We would also like to express our ongoing gratitude to the Law Society of Northern Ireland for their continued support in making this conference a success year after year.