Sports law and policy in the European Union

Book abstract:

The increasing commodification and globalisation of sport in the modern world is an intricate and always changing phenomenon. Moreover, sport has become increasingly politicised in a very concrete sense. This book starts from the premise that sport, far from being merely big business, also carries crucial social and cultural ramifications. Richard Parrish addresses the extent to which the European Union (EU) can take these important other dimensions into consideration when designing and implementing its laws and policies. Ranging over a number of complex but important issues and topics, he studies the emergence of sports law and asks whether or not sport deserves special treatment by this law.

Separated into seven chapters following the introduction, chapter one deals with the rise of sports law and policy. Chapter two attempts to theorise these concepts and chapter three turns to the sports policy subsystem. In chapter four, there is a discussion of sport in terms of the European Court of Justice; chapter five looks at sport and EU competition law, and chapter six attempts a rapprochement between sport and law. The final chapter assesses the prospects for the relationship between EU sports law and policy in the future.

This book is aimed at anyone interested in the relationship between sport and European politics.