Judo club seeks to reverse suspension

A judo club has brought a High Court challenge against its suspension by the sport’s national governing body over comments posted on Facebook.

Muskerry Judo Club in Macroom, Co Cork, was suspended by the Irish Judo Association for six months over comments posted in August on the club’s Facebook page after one of its members was omitted from the Irish team that took part in the recent World Judo Championships in Brazil.

The club, which wants the suspension quashed, said the decision to suspend it is unfair and breaches its rights to natural justice. The club fears the suspension could lead to its closure and its members abandoning the sport.

The comments at the centre of the action were made after club member Lloyd Manning was omitted from the Irish judo team that took part in the world championships held in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Mr Manning, the club said, is the only male full- time, number one-ranked Irish judo player in the 73kg class.

Following his omission, an official of Muskerry Judo Club asked why the IJA took the number two and number three-ranked players in the 73kg class to Rio instead.

Many of the comments posted on the thread expressed anger and disappointment at Mr Manning’s omission and were critical of the IJA.

On Sept 24, the club was told that the IJA’s executive committee had suspended the club until Mar 21. The decision was based on comments on the club’s Facebook page concerning team selection for Rio.

In correspondence with the club, the IJA said the suspension was necessary to allow the national governing body protect its members and control the behaviour of its members and clubs.

John O’Callaghan BL, for the club, said his client was denied natural justice and fair procedures by the IJA. This was because the suspension was imposed before it could put reply to the case against it. This breached the IJA’s own rules for dispute resolution, he said.

He said the club’s 70 members, including children of both sexes and people with special needs, cannot take part in any judo activities, including training, demonstrations, and competitions.

The club is seeking various declarations and orders, including one quashing the suspension.

It also wants the court to prohibit the IJA from bring any further disciplinary matter against it and its members pending the determination of the action.

The matter was adjourned to Oct 10 next.