If you’re reading this column there’s a good chance you’re a member of a sports club. If so, you may be familiar with a phenomenon best encapsulated by the experience of a man I know in a government organisation.
“Kid,” he likes to say, “When the meeting goes on a tad too long I find you can wrap it up in seconds with one question: Who has the duty of care in this situation? Always clears the room.”
Matters of responsibility and accountability are serious considerations in every organisation now.
The trouble with a sports club is a handful of people may be charged with serious legal obligations, and sometimes — as volunteers, which most of them are — they may not have the training to deal with such obligations.
Hence my interest in the Law Society of Ireland’s latest MOOC (massive open online course): Sports law — the challenges on and off the field of play.
I spoke to Freda Grealy, head of the Law Society’s Diploma Centre, about the course:
“There are so many sports clubs in the country, obviously, there seemed to be a growing interest among the public in law generally, so… one of our interests in the Law Society is in reaching out to the public and educating them. You’re always looking for a topic that will connect.
[“Source-timesofindia”]
