Legal liability of coaches: a UK perspective

Attracting more coaches is fundamental to achievement of the European dimension in sport and the further promotion of sport in the European Union. Given the emerging relationship between the law and sports coaching, recruitment of such volunteers may prove problematic. Accordingly, this article critically considers the legal liability of sports coaches. To inform this debate, the issue of negligent coaching is critically scrutinised from a UK perspective, uncovering a number of distinct legal vulnerabilities facing volunteer coaches. This includes the inherent limitations of ‘objective reasonableness’ when defining the standard of care required in the particular circumstances. More specifically, fuller analysis of the justification of customary practice, and the legal doctrine of in loco parentis, reveals important ramifications for all organisations providing training and support for coaches. In short, it is argued that proactively safeguarding coaches from professional liability should be a priority for national governing bodies, and, following the recently published EU Work Plan for Sport for 2014–2017, the Expert Group on Human Resource Management in Sport. Importantly, given the EU’s supporting, coordinating and supplementing competence in developing the European dimension in sport, a Commission funded project to address the implications of the ‘compensation culture’ in sport is also recommended

Clinical Pathology Review

On February 5, 1980, Andy, a 5-1/2 year old castrated male domestic cat, was anorexic, vomited once, and failed to groom himself. Body temperature, respiration, pulse, and color of mucous membrances were all normal. Palpation of the epigastric area elicited a pain reflex. The owner expressed concern that the cat was ill from having ingested 3 ounces of whole cream containing 0.5 ounces of Kahlua (a coffee flavored liquor) 48 hours earlier

Polynomial-time approximation schemes for scheduling problems with time lags

We identify two classes of machine scheduling problems with time lags that possess Polynomial-Time Approximation Schemes (PTASs). These classes together, one for minimizing makespan and one for minimizing total completion time, include many well-studied time lag scheduling problems. The running times of these approximation schemes are polynomial in the number of jobs, but exponential in the number of machines and the ratio between the largest time lag and the smallest positive operation time. These classes constitute the first PTAS results for scheduling problems with time lags

Sports coaching and the law of negligence: implications for coaching practice

The ordinary principles of the law of negligence are applicable in the context of sport, including claims brought against volunteer and professional coaches. Adopting the perspective of the coach, this article intends to raise awareness of the emerging intersection between the law of negligence and sports coaching, by utilising an interdisciplinary analysis designed to better safeguard and reassure coaches mindful of legal liability. Detailed scrutiny of two cases concerning alleged negligent coaching, with complementary discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas facing modern coaches, reinforces the legal duty and obligation of all coaches to adopt objectively reasonable and justifiable coaching practices when interacting with athletes. Problematically, since research suggests that some coaching practice may be underpinned by ‘entrenched legitimacy’ and ‘uncritical inertia’, it is argued that coach education and training should place a greater emphasis on developing a coach’s awareness and understanding of the evolving legal context in which they discharge the duty of care incumbent upon them

Ausência de efeito antinociceptivo decorrente da administração intravenosa de crotalfina em comparação com morfina, U50-488H ou fenilbutazona em equinos submetidos à estimulação térmica da pele íntegra

Crotalfina é um novo peptídeo analgésico que atua em receptores opioides kappa e delta promovendo potente analgesia em ratos submetidos a modelos de dor inflamatória, neuropática ou oncológica. Talvez a crotalfina possa ser utilizada para tratar a dor em outras espécies. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a resposta nociceptiva na região escapular e isquiática de cavalos tratados com crotalfina, morfina, U50-488H ou fenilbutazona e submetidos à estimulação térmica na pele íntegra. Dezoito cavalos da raça Puro Sangue Árabe foram alocados em cinco grupos experimentais: GC (5mL NaCl 0,9%), GCRO (3,8mg.kg-1 crotalfina), GK (160 µg.kg-1 U50-488H), GM (0,1mg.kg-1 morfina) e GF (4,4mg.kg-1 fenilbutazona). Os animais foram submetidos ao modelo de dor inflamatória por meio de estimulação térmica (140°C) e durante 24h avaliou-se a latência para o reflexo do frêmito cutâneo na região escapular (LRFCesc) e isquiática (LRFCisq). O U50-488H apresentou efeito antinociceptivo na região isquiática por duas horas, porém, nos demais momentos do grupo GK, bem como nos grupos GC, GCRO, GM e GF, não foi observado efeito antinociceptivo, visto que a LRFCesc e a LRFCisq na pele íntegra de cavalos não aumentaram em 24 horas de avaliação. Portanto, a crotalfina, a morfina, o U50-488H e a fenilbutazona não produziram efeito antinociceptivo relevante em equinos submetidos à estimulação térmica em pele íntegra.Crotalphine is a novel analgesic peptide that acts on kappa and delta opioid receptors providing powerful analgesia in rats submitted to inflammatory, neuropathic or oncologic pain model. Maybe crotalphine can be used to treat pain in other species. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate nociceptive response at scapular and isquiatic region of horses treated with crotalphine, morphine, U50-488H or phenylbutazone and submitted to thermal stimulation in complete skin. Eighteen Arabian horses were allocated in five experimental groups: GC (5mL NaCl 0.9%), GCRO (3.8ng.kg-1 crotalphine), GK (160 µg.kg-1 U50-488H), GM (0.1mg.kg-1 morphine) and GP (4.4mg.kg-1 phenylbutazone). Animals were submitted to inflammatory pain model by thermal stimulation (140°C) and during 24h latency to skin twitch at scapular and isquiatic region were evaluated. The U50-488H produced antinociceptive effect at isquiatic region along two hours, but, in other moments of GK and in the other groups there was not antinociceptive effect, because LRFCesc and LRFCisq in complete skin of horses did not increase during 24h evaluation. Thus, crotalphine, morphine, U50-488H and phenylbutazone did not cause relevant antinociceptive effect in horses submitted to thermal stimulation in complete skin.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) Curso de Medicina VeterináriaUniversidade Federal do Recôncavo Baiano (UFRB) Curso de Medicina VeterináriaConsórcio da Indústria Farmacêutica (COINFAR)Instituto Butantan Laboratório de PatofisiologiaUniversidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia VeterináriaUniversidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinári