Since the first edition of this text, the law within a sports context has developed considerably - particularly in the areas of regulation and commercialisation. The authors have maintained their view that "the principal purpose of the book remains to act as a particular resource for advisors in this sector, assisting them in resolving legal issues as they arise". They have assembled and included contributions from an impressive list of practitioners, sports lawyers and academics.

The basic structure of this second edition is similar to that used in the first edition and consists of eight separate parts divided into chapters.

Part A has been expanded and covers the legal control of sport. The recognition of the importance of European law in the sporting arena is amply demonstrated by the contents of Part B. Matters arising following the passing of Human Rights legislation are dealt with in Part C. The problems which arise from individual and collective participation in sport, especially regarding violent conduct on the field of play, are contained in Part D. Drugs and doping in sport and these matters are comprehensively covered in Part E. Part F includes a chapter on Governance as well as dealing with the question of the organisation of Sports Entities. Commercialisation in sport and intellectual property issues are covered in Part G.

However, one of the main features of this book is an anticipation of the future likely impact of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is the subject of a new Part F which represents the first comprehensive coverage, in a work of this nature, of the Olympic and Paralympic legislation which has been designed to meet the many problems associated with ticket touting and ambush marketing together with the ways in which the advertising and sponsorship of the Games may be conducted.

A positive feature of the text is that the use of extensive footnotes adds to the admirable coverage and understanding of the legal issues which are discussed. Additionally, the layout of the various chapters and sections enable the reader to research and identify these with ease. The publishers are to be congratulated for the way in which this extremely important work has been assembled and presented.

This new edition represents an essential source of relevant material on sports law and, it is suggested, should be mandatory reading not only for practitioners in this field but also should be an important reference text available to law students at all universities and colleges.

David Dovey is a senior lecturer in law at Buckinghamshire New University.
New Law Journal, 20 February 2009, p.282

For the past decade or so, sports law has developed into a distinct area of law. It is, however, surprising that there are so few dedicated texts dealing with this fascinating and topical area of law. Sports: Law and Practice, edited by Adam Lewis and Jonathan Taylor, aims to provide a comprehensive, authoritative and accessible account of the relevant principles. To my mind, it achieves this aim with considerable ease and aplomb.

Whilst edited by two leading practitioners, Sport: Law and Practice also boasts an impressive list of contributors. Written in an engaging and accessible way, the text is divided into seven distinct parts: the constitutional structure of the sports sector; European Community law and sport; human rights and sport; issues for individual sportsmen and women; drug use in sport; the organisation of sports entities; the commercialisation of sports properties; and the 2012 Olympics. Each part is then subdivided into specific chapters. The editors should be commended for this approach because it lays out the material in a logical way which allows the relevant information to be quickly located.

Like the first edition, Sports: Law and Practice is a thoroughly researched and authoritative text. It has impressively detailed footnotes which are an excellent starting point for further research. It also impressively considers the leading sports law cases, together with some lesser known ones, and includes a number of excellent check-lists and precedents which readers can adapt or use as a basis for drafting. For example, in the section on sports grounds, there are a number of precedent clauses which the reader can built into their own commercial agreements.

Readers will be pleased that Sports: Law and Practice is, like the first edition, a wonderfully written and authoritative account of sport law and practice. The editors and contributors should be commended because its title explains exactly what the text is: a practical and accurate account of sport law for the busy practitioner. No practitioner should be without this text, nor anyone interested or advising on this complex, interesting and topical area of law.

Reviewed on 1 December 2008
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