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

3. Sport and the law
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.

4. Sports legislation and performers
Lots of injuries occur to performers during the course of a game most of the time as part of a competitive encounter.
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.
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.

5. Sports legislation and performers
Issues relating to violent acts are mostly dealt with by the club or the National Governing Body but violent conduct may be prosecuted.
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)
More recently, in 2007, Joey Barton - at the time a player for Manchester City - received a suspended sentence for a training ground assault.

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

9. Sports legislation and officials
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.
Rugby referees are particularly vigilant at scrums to avoid serious injuries occurring.
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.

10. Sports legislation and coaches
Sports coaches also have a duty of care to provide a safe training and working environment where players do not get unnecessarily hurt.
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 legislation and spectators
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.
Failure to act properly will result in prosecution under the Public Order Acts.

12. Sports legislation and spectators
Clubs and sport governing bodies have employed a number strategies to combat the problem of spectator safety and hooliganism.
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

13. Sports legislation and spectators
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.

14. Sport and the law Apply it! What has stuck with you?
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

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

16. Practice it! 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