Sport and the Law

Sport and the Law

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you should be able to understand:

• The use of sports legislation in relation to performers, including contracts, injury, and loss of earnings.
• The implications of sports legislation for officials, particularly in the context of negligence.
• The role of sports legislation in the context of coaches and their duty of care. 
• How sports legislation affects spectators in terms of safety and controlling hooliganism.

What do you already know about the intersection of sports and law?

The increasing intersection of sports and law

Rise in deviant acts and professionalization of sports. 

Legal accountability for:

• performers, 
• officials, 
• coaches, and 
• spectators.

Legal responsibilities and protections for performers

• Issues of injury, 
• loss of earnings, 
• and contract disputes. 

• Notable cases leading to legal action.

Concept of negligence for sports officials

Duty of care to maintain a safe environment. 

Past cases setting precedents.

Legal obligations of coaches

Ensure safety and well-being of athletes. 

Prevent abuse and provide sound advice on health and supplements.

Impact of sports legislation on spectator safety

Regulate behaviour to prevent hooliganism. 

Evolution of legislation over time.

Definition List

Sports law: The laws, regulations, and judicial decisions that govern sports and athletes. 

Damages: Compensation sought by individuals for injury or loss due to deliberate or reckless actions by others. 

Restraint of trade: An action that interferes with free competition in a market, such as a contract clause limiting a professional's right to work. 

Definition List

Negligence: Failure to meet a reasonable standard of care, leading to foreseeable harm. 

Duty of care: The legal obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of others, particularly in sports settings. 

In loco parentis: The responsibility to act in the place of a parent, applicable to coaches and similar roles in sports.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.