Portsmouth Business School
Crossing the line – when sport becomes crime
Mon, Mar 26, 2012
Nick Hawkins is an international expert on sport-related violence. He will talk about real case studies, including Sol Campbell suffering racist abuse from Tottenham supporters at the terraces of Fratton Park.
Nick previously served as a barrister in the Royal Navy. He became interested in the criminality of sport when he dealt with a rugby player who had assaulted an opponent in a Navy match nearly 20 years ago.
“If the same thing had happened in Guildhall Walk there would have been no hesitation to prosecute but because it happened on the rugby pitch it was ambiguous,” he said.
The player was in fact one of the first to be court-martialled for his behaviour and rugby authorities have since stepped up the penalties for punching.
Nick will talk about the point at which chanting becomes racist, homophobic, transphobic or religiously aggravated, and the criminality of criticising a footballer on social media. He will also explore the limits of criminal law and when matters are best left for sports authorities to deal with.
Head of the School of Law, Caroline Strevens, said: “Sport and crime are particularly topical at the moment, especially as a man faces jail after posting offensive comments on Twitter about footballer Fabrice Muamba, who collapsed last weekend. It’s a fascinating area and we’re delighted to welcome such a prestigious speaker to the University.”
Admission is free, but places are limited so please make a reservation by contacting events@port.ac.uk or 023 9284 3757.