Sports Law

1. 3.2.4.6 – Sport and the Law
Learning objectives
To understand the impact of sports law and performers.
To explain the relationship between the law and match officials
and coaches.
To evaluate the impact of legalisation and spectators.

2. What areas of law does sport overlap into?
Sport and the law

3. Sport and the law have traditionally been considered as separate
areas but in recent years more lawsuits have appeared in
competitive sport due to the increase in deviant acts.
Increases in the commercialisation and professionalism of sport
has led to a strict standard and the feeling of accountability has
risen.
Sport and the law

4. Lots of injuries occur to performers during the course of a game
most of the time as part of a competitive encounter.
Sports legislation and performers
In some cases criminal
lawsuits have been brought
for dangerous tackles and
violent acts resulting in
career-ending injuries. Such
cases claim for a loss of
earnings and are made
against the person who
committed the tackle.
Matt Holmes a former
Charlton Athletic player
achieved a settlement
of £250,000 for what he
said was a deliberate
illegal challenge that
ended his career.

5. Issues relating to violent acts are mostly dealt with by the club or
the National Governing Body but violent conduct may be
prosecuted.
Sports legislation and performers
More recently, in 2007, Joey Barton - at the
time a player for Manchester City - received
a suspended sentence for a training ground
assault.
Duncan Ferguson (1995) was the first
professional soccer player to be imprisoned
for an on-the-field assault (head butting a
Raith Rovers player while at Rangers)

6. Performers are employees and as such can be said to have the
same employment rights as other workers and often the law is
need to sort out contractual issues.
Sports legislation and performers
The Bosman Ruling was
an influential case in
granting the right for
any player to move
freely to another
employer (club) at the
end of a contract
without a transfer fee.

7. Sports legislation and performers
Players within the EU have the right to work anywhere in the
European Union without restriction.

8. Contract issues with sponsors and branding can also result in cases
that have to be settled in a court of law.
Sports legislation and performers
Legal action against supporters are increasingly common for
unacceptable behaviour such as running onto a pitch and
attacking players.

9. Referees/officials have been prosecuted for allowing situations to
occur that have caused permanent damage to a performer. The
implications for referees, many of whom are voluntary and
amateur, are considerable.
Sports legislation and officials
Officials have a duty of care
to protect participants in a
contest in a safe environment.
Negligence cases are being
brought against referees from
the professional and amateur
game.
Rugby referees
are particularly
vigilant at
scrums to avoid
serious injuries
occurring.

10. Sports coaches also have a duty of care to provide a safe training
and working environment where players do not get unnecessarily
hurt.
Sports legislation and coaches
Coaches can be sued
for negligence if
equipment or playing
surfaces are not safe.
i.e. wet sports hall floor
Coaches should therefore always make health and safety checks,
report all forms of abuse and adhere to legal and moral duties of
care.

11. Sports legalisation has improve the safety of spectators at sports
events. Spectators must act within the law when at a game and are
not permitted to enter the field of play or use racist/homophobic
chants.
Sports legislation and spectators
Failure to act properly
will result in
prosecution under the
Public Order Acts.

12. Strategies:
• Ban/control alcohol sales
• Early kick offs
• CCTV around stadiums
• Tougher deterrents (bans, fines,
prison)
• Promotion of football as family
entertainment
• Education/campaigns
• Better policing and fans
segregation
Clubs and sport governing bodies have employed a number
strategies to combat the problem of spectator safety and
hooliganism.
Sports legislation and spectators

13. Family enclosures as a way of encouraging parents to attend
matches with their children in safety.
The ‘all seating’ that has replaced the traditional fencing and
terracing has contributed to the safer and less violent venues.
Sports legislation and spectators

14. Discuss sports law and the
affect on performers
How have officials been
affected by particular
lawsuits?
Describe the term ‘duty of
care’ and who does this apply
to?
Explain some sports
legalisation that impacts on
spectators.
Sport and
the law
Apply it! What has stuck with you?

15. Exam questions
1. How does the law and sports legislation help to ensure that
performers are protected during sporting contests? [3]
Practice it!

16. Marks Scheme:
1.
A. Protect against violent play
B. Employment contracts with
clubs/Sponsorship/commercial contracts/avoid burnout
C. Ensure duty of care from officials/negligence of poor
referees
D. Safe playing environment/stadiums are suitable for
purpose
E. Protection from violent spectators/hooligans/terrorist
threats
F. Ensure opponents using doping methods are banned
G. Equality legislation/racism act/sexism act/disability
acts/age or weight categories/gender
Practice it!