Charles Russell, Blackstone score winning goal for Rooney

Charles Russell commercial litigation partner Jonathan Ellis and Blackstone Chambers’ Adam Lewis QC flew out to Switzerland yesterday (8 December) to appeal UEFA’s decision to penalise the Manchester United footballer.

Rooney was originally given a three-match suspension by the football body for kicking an opponent during a Euro 2012 qualifier in October. Following the appeal, the suspension was reduced to two games, with a further one-game banlit for UEFA national team competition matches.

This means that the footballer will not be able to play in England’s two opening Euro 2012 matches against France and Sweden, but will be eligible for their final Group D fixture against Ukraine.

Also advising were the Football Association’s (FA) litigation head James Bonington as well as arbitration partner Antonio Rigozzi from Swiss law firm Levy Kaufmann-Kohle.

In February, Charles Russell bagged an exclusive role on the FA’s regulatory panel, advising on media litigation and defamation after a legal panel revamp (22 February 2011).