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06 March 2026
Issue: 8152 / Categories: Legal News , Sports law , Employment , Commercial , Sports litigation , International
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NLJ this week: Mbappé row spotlights ‘ethics bonuses’

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A €60.9m award to Kylian Mbappé has refocused attention on football’s controversial ‘ethics bonus’ clauses. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Estelle Ivanova of Valloni Attorneys at Law examines how such provisions sit within French labour law

These bonuses, tied to conduct on and off the pitch, are lawful in principle—but only if framed as objective remuneration, not disguised penalties. French law prohibits ‘financial penalties’, rendering contrary clauses ‘deemed unwritten’.

The Paris Labour Court stressed that ‘contractual undertakings must be complied with’.

Poor drafting risks recharacterisation or invalidation; sophisticated drafting is now essential in a sport where reputation and revenue are entwined.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Orwins—Maryam Abbasi

Orwins—Maryam Abbasi

Senior associate joins family law team in London

Tees Law—Stephen Williams

Tees Law—Stephen Williams

Firm appoints chief financial officer as it expands Essex office footprint

Winckworth Sherwood—David Fendt

Winckworth Sherwood—David Fendt

Restructuring and insolvency practice strengthened by partner hire

NEWS
Some employment law controversies never disappear—they merely lie dormant
A landmark ruling has delivered the first judicial application of the UK’s anti-SLAPP regime and provided fresh guidance on abusive litigation
Pastries may be in the firing line while kebabs escape scrutiny, but the reality is far more nuanced
The fallout from Lord Mandelson’s appointment and dismissal as UK ambassador to Washington raises profound questions about constitutional governance, accountability and political appointments
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming legal practice, but its successful adoption depends as much on culture as technology
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