Weight Limits called for in School Rugby Competitions
Tuesday 9 April 2013 @ 9.37 a.m. | Legal Research
In an article reported today in the Sydney Morning Herald, weight restrictions are being called for in school rugby league after the death of a 15 year old boy in a school sporting accident.
Over the past 12 months, according to the president of NSW Schools Rugby Union, there had been more consideration given to the idea of weight categories, particularly for players under 16, to allay fears about the increasing size of some young football players and the physical risks associated with collisions on the field.
Currently, in Australia, amateur sports players such as Saturday morning sport and school sport are covered by voluntary by-laws regarding ethical conduct, amateur eligibility, financial aid, recruiting, gender equity, championship events and academic standards.
It is only once these players reach a professional level that they are covered by standard labour laws, insurance and other protections.
It has been argued that schools owe students a duty of care when they are playing sport however, the High Court has approved the statement that there is no duty to insure against injury:
"The duty of care owed by (the teacher) required only that he should take such measures as in all the circumstances were reasonable to prevent physical injury to (the pupil). This duty not being one to insure against injury, but to take reasonable care to prevent it, required no more than the taking of reasonable steps to protect the plaintiff against risks of injury which ex hypothesi (the teacher) should reasonably have foreseen." (Geyer v Downs [1977] HCA 64 at [19] (Stephen J), quoting Richards v Victoria (1969) VR 136 at pp138, 140-141 (Winneke CJ))
This leaves many school sporting players and Saturday morning sport players caught between voluntary by-laws and a duty of care which only extends so far.
To read more about the Rugby changes, click here.
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