The Regulation of Sport in the European Union

The purpose of this book is to examine, from an EU perspective, the numerous developments which have taken place in the regulation of sporting activity in the last decade. Uniquely, in addressing these developments, the book adopts an inter-disciplinary approach, involving law, economics and sociology. The chapters place the regulation of sport in the context of the EU regulatory structure which hitherto has emerged in a piece-meal fashion and thus warrants a more holistic approach. The chapters bring together several key themes which arise from the question of whether sport is special? This addresses a growing argument that sporting activity displays unique properties which require a distinct form of regulation that existing competition or free movement rules cannot provide. The book is divided into three parts which reflect the current policy, legislative and judicial discourses that exists in the regulation of sport. The Regulation of Sport in the European Union provides both an academic and practical review of EU law and policy as applied to sport, and as such, this comprehensive overview will be of great interest to EU law academics, economists and political scientists. It will also appeal to legal practitioners and to those with an interest in regulatory processes in the EU.