Litigation Radar: Blackburn Rovers kit dispute, Harborne defamation claim and FCA action against Woodford
Key litigation updates this week include a Virgin Active diesel spill damages claim, a kitwear contract dispute against Blackburn Rovers, defamation proceedings brought by Christopher Harborne and the FCA seeks injunction against Neil Woodford.
Published fortnightly, our Litigation Radar highlights new claims and ongoing court activity across the cases shaping the litigation landscape. This edition spans commercial contracts, regulatory enforcement, defamation and competition disputes.
Law firms featured
Keoghs LLP • RPC • Simmons & Simmons LLP • Clyde & Co LLP • JCP Solicitors Ltd • Hill Dickinson LLP • Schillings International LLP • Hausfeld & Co LLP
HT-2026-000115: Virgin Active Ltd and another v B.L.C.T. (PHC 5) 2005 Ltd and others
Health club chain Virgin Active is seeking at least £5 million in damages in relation to two diesel spills at one of its London gyms in July and August 2020, which allegedly caused significant property damage and operational disruption.
KB-2026-000165: Macron Sportswear UK Ltd v The Blackburn Rovers Football And Athletic Ltd
Italian sportswear manufacturer Macron has initiated a claim against Blackburn Rovers F.C. for alleged breaches of contractual duties related to supply agreements. Macron argues that, despite exercising its contractual right to match a competing supplier's offer, the club proceeded to appoint an alternative supplier and refused to continue negotiations.
KB-2026-001848: Harborne v Habib
British-Thai billionaire Christopher Harborne has issued a defamation claim against British politician Ben Habib. The claim arises from statements made by Habib during an online interview, in which he alleged that Harborne paid Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson £1 million each in 2019 as part of an arrangement to influence that year's general election.
FS-2026-000003: The Financial Conduct Authority v Woodford and another
The FCA has filed a claim against former fund manager Neil Woodford, alleging that he provided regulated investment advice without the required authorisation. The regulator is seeking injunctive relief to prevent any further potentially unlawful activities.
CL-2026-000304: Adidas (UK) Ltd and another v Visa Europe Ltd and others; CL-2026-000305: Adidas (UK) Ltd and another v Mastercard Inc and others
Adidas has brought two separate claims against payment networks Visa and Mastercard, likely seeking compensation for alleged overcharges relating to card transaction fees. The claims follow a long tail of interchange fee lawsuits brought against both payment giants in recent years.
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