Expert legal commentary: Mad Dogs and Tennis Players go out in the Midday Sun

Dr Eric Windholz

By Dr Eric Windholz
Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University

On days when the Victorian Health Department issued Heat Health Alerts warning the extreme hot weather substantially increased the risk of heat-related illness and mortality, and outside work on Victorian construction sites ceased, the Australian Open Tennis Championships continued.

Players continued to play; umpires and lines people continued to officiate; ball kids continued to retrieve balls; the numerous employees, contractors and volunteers that make the Open possible continued doing their jobs; and the spectators continued to watch in the stadium.

The decision to continue play in temperatures that exceeded 41.5 degrees Celsius on four consecutive days (play only being halted temporarily on the fourth day) raises issues concerning the intersection of professional sports and occupational health and safety (OHS) law.

Read the full commentary on The Conversation where this article was first published.