Deirdre McCarthy

Deirdre McCarthy is a Legal Director at Centrefield in Manchester, a market leading law firm in the sports and media sector. Centrefield advises national governing bodies, international sports federations, clubs (including many Premier League, EFL Championship and Women’s Super League clubs), individual players and athletes, leagues, agents, athlete/player representative associations, sponsors and other commercial businesses in the sport and media industry.

Deirdre advises across a wide range of areas in sport with a focus on disciplinary, regulatory, governance and integrity related matters, including advising on a wide range of anti-doping and betting related issues. Deirdre also advises on commercial and contractual arrangements, and data protection compliance and has extensive experience on legal and regulatory issues in women’s sport.

Deirdre is a member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Arbitral Board and Disciplinary Commission, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Anti-Doping Tribunal and British Triathlon’s Disciplinary Panel. Deirdre was also appointed as World Sailing’s first Ombudsperson in 2025.