Justices: Violence is a part of some sports

[David Harding]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=140524

Published: 2/23/2008 12:27 AM

SPRINGFIELD -- Hockey is an inherently violent sport and just because there are penalties and injuries, that doesn't mean players can sue each other, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Friday.

In a unanimous decision, the justices said the law has long recognized the dangers of contact sports. In this case, the justices said a player would have to deliberately injure an opponent or engage in conduct no one would ever expect before there would be a case to pursue.
...

The injured player was checked into the boards.  He and his parents claimed that everyone else was to blame because the rules weren't being enforced adequately.  

...The court said rules violations are considered an unavoidable aspect of playing a contact sport. Letting Karas' case go forward would forever change contact sports, the justices said.

"If liability could be established every time a body check or tackle resulted in injury -- because that conduct demonstrates a conscious disregard for the safety of the opposing player -- the games of ice hockey and football as we know them would not be played," Justice Anne Burke said in authoring the opinion...

The full story should be on-line for about a week.