ONE DAY SEMINAR ON CHANGING DIMENSIONS OF SPORTS LAW: SOME CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

University Institute of Laws, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana, Punjab

The globalization of Sports has moved the focus of law towards its regulation, with India as no exception. Sports at one point of history was a form of recreation, but the increasing amount of status and finances attached to it, sports is now a well-developed profession. In this scenario, a need is felt to regulate the area with law and to eradicate the grey areas. Even the United Nations in its resolution in 2003, has recognized sports as a means to promote education, health, development and peace and therefore, State through law should have an interest in sport-related issues. Moreover, commercial exploitation of this indulgence has paved way to the creation of numerous sporting events or games, in the frame and form of Franchises, Endorsements, Public Appearances, including but not limited to Branding, Image-Building, etc. This wide-spread, growth in sporting activities makes its regulation and governance all the more important.

The term 'Sports Law' is non-existential in the expressions of legal terminology. The area is looked in through the lens of various applicable laws like, Civil, Criminal and Commercial. The need for this approach was required because of increase in various illegal and unethical practices that are committed by persons, companies, corporations engaged in sports events, including match fixing, use and abuse of drugs, sexual abuse etc. Moreover, the sprouting Sports Management Companies with their own set of contractual obligations has given rise to enforceability, jurisdiction and extend of validity. The increase of commercialization of Sports, has thus invoked the questions of Competition Laws, Intellectual Property Laws, Contract Law etc. Hence, the objective of the present seminar is thus, to highlight, discuss, review critical areas of sports law, nationally as well internationally.

Abstracts are invited for paper presentation in the seminar to enhnce the richness and diversity of intellectual thoughts on the theme.

The sub-themes of the seminar are as follows:

1.) SPORTS & CONTRACTUAL ISSUES:

Contract Management by Sports Management Companies
Branding & Image Rights of Sportspersons
Recent Trends in insurance and Risk Management in Sports Events
The Third Empire in Sports Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Tribunals and Courts Jurisdiction
Private Sports Competition Events, Leagues: Challenges & Issues
Endorsement Rights and Contractual Liabilities
Minors in Sports Contracts
Sports, Media Rights, Licensing & Dealing with Privacy
Marketing: Creating & Managing Data & Sports Marketing Agreements
Contractual liabilities vis a vis sports commentators, experts

2.) SPORTS & CRIMINAL LAW ISSUES:

Match Fixing, Gambling & Betting
Criminal Law & Spot-fixing
International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Code
Protection of Players
Child Players and their protection under criminal laws in India
Concussion: Second Impact Syndrome
Violence in Sports
Corruption in selections, providing media rights, finalizing commentators and the like issues

3.) SPORTS & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW ISSUES