Sports law is complex with numerous regulations and legal requirements that some change rapidly. Contemporary sports law environment poses challenges for coaches and athletic administrators. They are required to comply with the duties enacted by the common law, state association rules, and administrative agency regulations regarding athletic programs. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations amounts to negligence punishable by the law. Various tips will help coaches and athletic personnel avoid legal and liability problems. One, coaches and administrators should consider proper supervision. Coaches need to be present and supervise practice grounds, locker rooms, and all facility spaces at all times (Mirsafian, 2016). They also need to oversee the transportation and diet of athletes. This tip helps an athletic administrator run an athletic department effectively by minimizing the potential risks and legal problems. Proper supervision ensures that athletes are adequately instructed and forewarned of potential risks averting danger and possibilities of injuries.
Two, monitor state laws and association regulations regarding athletic programs regularly. These laws and regulations are updated constantly due to the dynamics and events in the sports world. States also amend existing laws to accommodate the new trends in the sports world (Green, 2019). This tip helps athletic administrators get adequate information regarding specific changes to the law and avoid violating them. Failure to monitor these regular updates signifies a lack of care. Athletic administrators should use these laws to avoid penalties due to disregard for the law.
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Three, use safe and reasonable disciplinary techniques. Numerous court cases involving the use of dangerous disciplinary techniques by coaches are filed annually. Such techniques result in active negligence that has legal risks on both the coaches and athletic administrators. Moreover, they also endanger the lives of athletes and may result in permanent disfigurement. Administrators should use this tip to be aware of the disciplinary techniques used by the coaches. Moreover, they should hire qualified coaches and train them regularly to avoid using unwarranted forms of discipline.
Four, update athletes on codes of conduct. Coaches have a legal of teaching athletes the codes of conduct and sportsmanship. Athletes need to understand the codes of conduct and the governing policies in a particular institution (Green, 2019). For instance, coaches have the responsibility of ensuring that all athletes under them understand various policies such as social media policies and banned behaviors and substances. The presence of objective and specific sanctions increases the possibility of being upheld by the courts helping athletic administrators avoid legal liabilities.
Five, offer in-service education programs for athletic personnel. All the athletic personnel must understand their duties and comply with the relevant legal mandates such as liability for injury issues, athletes’ constitutional rights, disability law basics, and other legal regulations related to participation in athletic programs (Green, 2019). This tip contributes to an effective athletic department because it ensures that athletic administrators deal with qualified athletic personnel. The personnel should have a relevant educational background, sports background, and certifications. Moreover, it ensures that administrators exercise reasonable during training and orientation of new personnel and require athletic personnel participation in the ongoing sport education programs.
Six, comply with Title IX. Title IX requires coaches to provide equal accessibility for both girls and boys in all facility areas. This policy prohibits discrimination based on gender and offers both boys and girls equal rights to participate in athletic programs. Coaches have a legal responsibility to ensure that both boys and girls get equal opportunities and access to various facility areas, including training spaces, relevant resources, and the required uniform. This tip will help administrators effectively run athletic departments since they promote conformity with the applicable regulations (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). Moreover, it ensures that administrators equally accommodate male and female interests.
Seven, enact measures against sexual harassment. Athletes are more prone to sexual harassment than non-athletes (Buzuvis & Newhall, n.d). Coaches have the responsibility of ensuring that athletes are safe from sexual harassment. This tip will help athletic administrators implement measures that eliminate sexual harassment and promote the reporting of sexual assault cases by athletes. Protecting individuals accused of sexual violence amounts to legal problems. Administrators should implement policies that encourage transparency when handling sexual harassment cases to avoid such legal issues and effectively run their athletic departments.
Eight, eliminate discriminatory policies. Coaches have a legal responsibility of avoiding the implementation of standards and mandates that create disparities based on race, gender, ethnicity, and religion. This tip helps administrators create effectively run athletic departments by eliminating unnecessary and non-safety-based directives that promote discrimination.
Nine, adhere to child abuse reporting regulations. Coaches and other athletic personnel must be familiar with their duties as caregivers. This role makes them mandatory reporters in case of child abuse cases. Athletic administrators must ensure that coaches and athletic personnel understand the requirements and procedures for reporting child abuse cases. This tip helps administrators avoid legal problems by ensuring that the coaches and athletic personnel understand the details required when reporting child abuse cases.
Ten, implement policies against bullying. Bullying is present in many spheres of life, including in sports programs. Coaches and other athletic personnel have a legal responsibility for reporting bullying cases to the athletic administrators. Failure to handle such cases or ignoring them, sets them up for liability issues, especially when bullying results in serious damage (Hoffman, 2013). This tip helps administrators come up with ways of identifying bullying and handling them through proper anti-bullying policies. The policies should prohibit athletic personnel and athletes from engaging inappropriately with others, including on social media, to avoid legal problems.
References
Buzuvis, E., & Newhall, K. (n.d). Inequality, discrimination and sexual violence in US collegiate sports. Transparency International.
Green, L. (2019). 10 Steps to Reduce Liability of School Sports, Athletics Personnel. National Federation of State High School Associations.
Hoffman, K. (2013, May 7). Protecting your athletic program. Great American Media Services and Coach and AD .
Mirsafian, H. (2016). Legal duties and legal liabilities of coaches toward athletes. Physical Culture and Sport Studies and Research, 69 (1). http://dx.doi:10.1515/pcssr-2016-0002
U.S. Department of Education. (2020). A Policy Interpretation: Title IX and Intercollegiate Athletics . U.S. Department of Education. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/t9interp.html
