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Law360, London (June 10, 2020, 4:51 PM BST) -- A trade body for insurance lawyers has formed a group to examine the legal implications of the cancellation of major sporting events including Premier League soccer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers said Tuesday it has brought together practitioners from eight law firms, including Clyde & Co and DAC Beachcroft, to form its sports law team. The lawyers will examine the implications for the insurance sector of a wave of sports cancellations in recent months and how a gradual restarting of fixtures could affect the landscape.
The Premier League, England's seasonal soccer tournament, will restart on June 17 with matches played behind closed doors, although players and clubs have raised concerns over whether that is too early.
"The group has an active agenda over the coming months, looking at issues arising out of the coronavirus pandemic," the group, known as FOIL, said. "This includes the debate around the halting of the Premier League, even whilst 92 top-flight matches are still to be played — a clear demonstration of how complex issues in the sector can be."
Insurers have been responsible for paying out on claims for events canceled as a result of the pandemic, which will probably cost the global market up to $7 billion, according to investment bank UBS. Much of that will come from high-profile sporting events including the Olympics and Wimbledon as well as the English Premier League.
But a re-opening of the soccer season could bring up more complexities. Players will be tested for COVID-19 daily when the season kicks off again, but clubs could face questions of liability if a player catches the virus and is side-lined for a prolonged period or otherwise faces loss of earnings.
FOIL said the group will be made up of lawyers who have been involved in "recent high-profile claims." They come from BLM, Clyde & Co, DAC Beachcroft, DWF, Forbes, Keoghs, Plexus and Weightmans.
The group will act to improve "business understanding" of the insurance risks associated with sports events, FOIL said. It added that there remains uncertainty about how amateur sporting events will restart, and that its team "intends to be at the forefront of this discussion."
--Editing by Ed Harris.
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