Beach volleyball player sues for injuries suffered during match I will weigh in on this although I have not practiced in some time. Generally speaking the player assumes the risk of an injury that is reasonably expected could happen in the course of the athletic contest. So in volley ball, a poke in the eye, a crash injury at the net, even a broken leg, or any sort of injury the player should reasonably expect as part of the game he or she is playing, could be raised as the defense of “Assumption of the Risk” to the claims of negligence by the defendant, i.e. Oregon in this case. But here, a loose umbrella in the wind that had previously been removed from the court, and then put back on the court by the assistant coach which then became loose again and severely lacerated the face of the athlete,, that would not be a risk that the volleyball player would reasonably assume as part of the accept risks of the contest. So, no “Assumption of the Risk” defense in this case IMHO.