Sport and the law

Examples of performers feeling greater confidence to hold those in charge accountable.

Bosman free transfer

NFL free agency

Flood vs Kuhn

Sports laws

Laws regulations and judicial decisions that govern performers in sports

Damages

Individuals seeking legal redress and compensation for loss of earnings

Restraint of trade

Action that interferes with free competition in a market

Performers and the law (SOCCER)

Spectators attacking players

Opponents being violent

Contractual issues with sponsors

Contractual issues with employers

Equality of opportunities

Refereeing negligence

Negligence

Conduct that falls below a ‘reasonable standard’ and leads to a breach in the duty of care, which results in a foreseeable harm to another

Duty of care

A legal obligation imposed on someone if they are responsible for a group of people

In loco parentis

Coaches being assigned authority over children when parents are not present

Coaches have legal responsibility over

Health and safety

Protection from abuse

Supplements

Duty of care

Reasonable steps for reasonable care

Examples of spectators and the law

Removal of perimeter fences and terraces with all seater stadia

Control of alcohol sales around grounds

Specified kick off times

Increased security and police presence

Tougher deterrents

Occupier’s liability act (1957)

Law governing spectator safety

States that occupier of premises has duty of care

Sporting events act (1985)

Banning possession of alcohol at a football match or on the journey to the game

Powers given to magistrates to impose conditions on licensed premises within sports grounds

Fire safety and safety of place of sport act (1987)

Fire safety certificate needs to be gained from local authority for events to happen

Sets maximum number of spectators allowed into a stand

Stands must also be made of fire proof materials

Football spectators act (1989)

Allows banning orders to be put on individuals who have committed offence

Prevents them from attending sports events for a certain time period

Football offence act (1991)

Creates three offence at football grounds:

Throwing missiles

Chanting of racist remarks

Trespassing onto field of play

Sports ground safety authority act (2011)

Created the Sports Ground Safety Authority

An advisory role for general advice in non-football grounds

Football spectators seating order (2022)

Repealed mandatory all seater rule in PL and Championship stadiums

Online safety act (2023)

Targets online abuse: Aggression, threats and hate speech aimed at sporting figures

Platforms must proactively remove harmful content

Victims have new legal grounds provided