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Valloni / News  / PROTECTING SPORTS EVENTS IN FRANCE
5 Dezember 2024

PROTECTING SPORTS EVENTS IN FRANCE

Sports events in France are protected by several legal and practical measures.

These include:

  • A regularly updated book that contains all the French legislation relating to the organisation of sports events in France. The Code is divided into several parts: a legislative section (Articles L100-1 to L425-12); a regulatory section which includes Decrees (Articles R112-1 to R422-4) and Orders (Articles A112-0 to A430-2); as well as an Appendix section (Articles Annexe I-1 (art. R122-4) to Annexe III-28).
  • The Law of 10 May 2016 (informally called the Larivée Law): It allows sports event organisers to refuse or cancel tickets and deny access to individuals posing security risks. The law extends the maximum stadium ban from 12 to 24 months (and up to 36 months for repeat offences). This Law created a national supporters forum and a supporter liaison officer in each of the professional sports.
  • Free-to-air Broadcasting: French legislation protects the free broadcasting of certain sports competitions, known as „events of major importance“. See earlier NEWS item for details.
  • Intelligent Video Surveillance: Cameras are installed around sports venues and on public transport to detect risky situations in real time to deal with them timely and appropriately.
  • Body Scanners: Body scanners are installed at stadium entrances to detect any offensive weapons, such as missiles, that can injure and interrupt play.
  • Health Centre: A health centre is installed inside the Olympic and Paralympic Athletes’ Villages.
  • Genetic testing: French anti-doping laboratories can carry out genetic tests on athletes based on their blood and urine samples.
  • IP protection: Registering trademarks protecting sports events names and event marks and sponsorship designations.
  • Protection against Ambush Marketing: Major sports events are susceptible to this kind of unfair business competition and sports events organisers can take a number of legal and practical measures to combat them, relying, for example, on trademark rights and imposing a kind of ‘cordon sanitaire’ around venues to prevent unauthorised billboard advertising suggesting an unauthorised association with the sports event.

Local Prefects are responsible for ensuring that the national legal framework on sports safety and security is respected in their respective Departments.

However, private security firms also play an important role in ensuring the safety and security of sports events and those who participate in and attend them.

As a result of all these measures, French Sports Law is considered to be one of the most mature and well-established in Europe and worldwide.

In fact, the legal protection of sports events organisers‘ rights and the French courts‘ extensive application of these laws have contributed to the growth of the sports industry in France and enabled it to flourish and worth €64 billion (around Sw. Frs. 59.6 billion), which represents 2.6% of the country’s GDP.

As regards the future of the French sports industry, it is expected to be worth €7.8 billion (around Sw. Frs. 7.3 billion) by 2032. Growth areas include: digital sport; further development of women’s sport; and improving sports events strategy.

The sports equipment market in France is also expected to grow, as more of the population concentrate on health and wellness and engage in sports and fitness activities. In fact, the French Sports Ministry has introduced ‘Pass’Sport’ a €50 voucher scheme to cover the cost of children and young adults registering with local sports clubs.

So, there is much to play for in both sporting and financial terms!

For further information and advice, please email Dr Estelle Ivanova, the Head of our French Law Practice Group, at ‘ivanova@valloni.ch’.

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