The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal upholds the appeal brought by a company for a merger in the sports retail sector in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (JD Sports / Footasylum)

On 13 November 2020, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal ("CAT") published its judgment in relation to the merger of JD Sports and Footasylum. The merger was prohibited by the UK Competition and Markets Authority ("CMA") in May, but JD Sports appealed. The CAT partially upheld the appeal and the decision will now be referred back to the CMA. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW - KEY TAKEAWAYS Appeals of merger decisions are rare. This case shows that the CAT can reach a decision quickly