QUESTIONS PART A Edson Kante runs Footytrix, a business, based in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland,teaching football “tricks” to boys and girls to encourage a greater engagement insport and physical activity amongst children. Edson came to see solicitor HannahMarshall about an exciting new project which is due to take place in Latvia at the startof the next school year. Footytrix employs several coaches in Ireland who specialise in teaching childrenthese special skills and techniques (“tricks”), as fun ways of getting children involvedin playing football, without needing to use football pitches or playing full games. They also train local coaches to continue the work after Footytrix has left. Footytrixcoaches have been going into schools in Ireland for two months at the start of theschool year to set up the schemes, train local coaches, and teach the first twomonths of the scheme to the youngsters. Footytrix charges the schools for providing this service. Footytrix has been offered a contract to provide the same service to five schools inLatvia. Footytrix coaches will go to Latvia for two months at the start of the nextschool year. They will stay together in a rented house. Edson said that all the coaches employed by Footytrix have football coachingqualifications awarded by the Football Association of Ireland and have many years ofexperience of coaching children in particular. A number of those hoping to go toLatvia are also fluent Latvian language speakers.The contract is for next year only. The Latvian schools will decide if the project is asuccess before they commit to renew the contract.Edson has been made aware of two Latvian laws that are causing the businessproblems.The first lawThis requires all those working in schools in Latvia to be able to show that they haveworked in Latvia for three years. He has been told that the reason for this law is toensure that those people have a thorough understanding of the issues affectingchildren in Latvia and are part of a drive to improve teaching standards across thecountry. None of Footytrix’s coaches have worked in Latvia for three years.The second lawThis requires all those wanting to teach football in any form in Latvia, to register withthe Latvian Football Federation in advance, before they are authorised to begin.Edson is frustrated as it takes an average of two years for this process to becompleted.Hannah Marshall is meeting Edson again at the beginning of next week and would begrateful if you could write her a Memorandum, letting her have your views on thelegal position. LB231Page 2 of 4© The University of Law Limited 2020-2021
In your Memorandum to Hannah Marshall you should:
1)Explain why the Services Directive applies to this situation.
2)Using the provisions of the Services Directive, explain, giving reasons for your answer, whether Footytrix can challenge the restrictions to the services they wish to provide, caused by: i)the first law; andii)the second lawPART BEdson Kante has three further issues he is wanting Hannah Marshall to help himwith.
Issue 1Footytrix has five administrators on the staff along with eleven coaches. Four of theadministrators are women, one is a man. One of the coaches is a woman, ten aremen. The administrators receive gym membership vouchers. One of the coaches,Arif Iqbal has complained that the coaches do not receive gym membershipvouchers. Edson explains that they have had more health related absences amongsttheir administrators. Coaches are exercising throughout the day as part of their jobsand do not need the same added health support as the administrators, who have tospend a lot of their working day sitting at desks and focusing on screens. The rest ofthe pay is the same for administrators and coaches as their work is deemed to be ofequal value.Explain whether Footytrix is in breach of EU law by only giving theadministrators gym membership vouchers. Give reasons for your answer.
Issue 2
It is important to the work of Footytrix that it encourages boys and girls alike to getinvolved with their schemes. Edson is therefore keen to have more female coacheson the staff, as they currently only have one woman out of eleven coaches. Footytrixis looking to employ two new coaches next month.Explain whether EU law would allow Footytrix to advertise the jobs only towomen, or to prefer women applicants over men at the next round of recruitment. Give reasons for your answer.
Issue 3
Grace Masters is now the longest serving coach employed by Footytrix. She hasapplied for a promotion to be senior coach at Footytrix. Edson thinks Grace is greatLB231Page 3 of 4
at her job, but is not convinced that women command the same respect fromcolleagues in sport as men do.Explain whether EU law would allow Footytrix to deny Grace a promotion onthis basis. Give reasons for your answer.For your answer to Part B you do not need to write a separate Memorandum toHannah, but should continue your Memorandum from Part A. Simply include anew heading: Part
