Inhaltsübersicht – Zeitschrift für Sport und Recht – Heft 1/2025

Das Heft 1/2025 der SpuRt wird postalisch in der 03. KW zugestellt und ist seit dem 10.01.2025 im Modul Sportrecht plus auf Beck-Online abrufbar.

Editorial

  • Kein Facelifting! (J. F. Orth, S. 1)

Abhandlungen

Finanzielle Situation als Gerechtigkeitshindernis in Dopingverfahren (I. Dunjic, S. 2)

Cases in which professional athletes are (allegedly) found guilty of doping repeatedly shake the world of sports, as has been the case recently. In such cases, the focus of interest is often on the cause of a positive sample, the (potential) effects of the corresponding substance and the duration of a possible period of ineligibility. This article, however, aims to shed light on the costs faced by affected athletes in the context of their defense, whether or to what extent the financial situation of accused persons is relevant in order to be able to defend themselves comprehensively, and which measures could be taken so that they are financially as capable as possible to defend themselves adequately.

Aufsätze 

  • eSport und Doping: Die Jagd nach Vorteilen in der Grauzone des Sports (H. Putzke, S. 11)

The article discusses the evolving landscape of eSports, comparing it to traditional sports in terms of professionalism, spectator interest, and financial impact. It explores the issue of doping within eSports, examining its implications on player health, fairness, and the integrity of competitions. The article questions whether eSports can be considered a sport in the legal sense, emphasizing the need for effective doping regulations if it is to be treated as such. It highlights three central pillars of doping penalization: health protection, ensuring fairness and equal opportunities, and preserving the integrity of sports. The article also considers the absence of established institutional structures in eSports, complicating the alignment with current anti-doping laws. While acknowledging the challenges, it underscores the necessity for uniform standards to maintain eSports‘ credibility and acceptance. Further, it addresses the physical aspects of eSports, arguing that hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes validate its status as a sport. The article concludes that despite differences from traditional sports, eSports is a legitimate sport, representing a blend of technological prowess and athletic skill, and calls for specific regulations to cater to its unique nature while maintaining ethical values.

  • Außerordentliche Kündigung des Arbeitsvertrags und Schadensersatz nach § 628 Abs. 2 BGB im Profisport (P. S. Fischinger, S. 16)

In November 2023, soccer player Anwar El Ghazi was dismissed extraordinarily by his then employer, 1. FSV Mainz 05, due to social media postings following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel in October 2023. The following article first comments on selected aspects of the decision of the Mainz Labor Court on the action for unfair dismissal brought by El Ghazi. As El Ghazi has since, too, terminated the employment relationship extraordinarily and is now demanding compensation, the article also looks to the future and discusses the player’s chances of holding the club liable.

  • Rechtsextreme im Sportverein – Was nun? (S. Püschel, S. 21)

The article discusses measures that sports clubs can take against right-wing extremists within their organizations to support a robust democratic civil society. It classifies right-wing extremism as a significant threat to sports clubs, particularly noting its contradiction to democratic and sporting values such as tolerance, respect, and human dignity. Subsequently, the impact of right-wing extremism on both the clubs’ own interests and the broader societal role that sports clubs play in fostering civic participation and community interaction is addressed. The article follows up by discussing the legal bases for measures against right-wing extremist members, exploring how the denial of club membership, the expulsion of existing members, and the implementation of club sanctions are supported by law. It further analyzes the German employment law in regards of the dismissal of club employees with extremist view. Furthermore, it views the legal framework for dismissing club officers such as members of the club board. The article emphasizes the important role of club statutes and provides specific suggestions for clauses, including a declaration of the club’s commitment to democratic values as well as clauses that could justify the rejection or expulsion of members on grounds of activities or behaviors that contravene the club’s declared values. In addition, the article emphasizes that action against right-wing extremists does not prevent the sports club from being a non-profit organization under German tax law. The article concludes by stressing that while legal avenues exist to combat extremism, promoting positive values and inclusion through community sports can forge a vital path to countering political extremism in a democratic society.

  • Das Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT) und sein neues „Payment Order Procedure“ (H. Kahlert / D. Menz, S. 27)

The article discusses the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT), which is arguably the second largest sports arbitration tribunal globally by case numbers. It was established in 2007 to provide a simple, quick and inexpensive mechanism for the resolution of contractrelated disputes in basketball. The seat of all BAT arbitrations is Geneva, Switzerland, and the Swiss Federal Tribunal has recognized the BAT as a true court of arbitration. Accordingly, BAT awards can be enforced under the New York Convention. The BAT features unique procedural elements to maximize efficiency. One of its most distinctive features is that the BAT decides ex aequo et bono unless the parties agree otherwise. Thanks to the publication of BAT awards and other mechanisms, BAT jurisprudence nonetheless allows for predictable outcomes and has shown to influence the behavior of market participants even before any dispute arises. The BAT’s latest innovation, introduced in February 2024, is the Payment Order Procedure (POP), designed for disputes with a comparably low value in dispute (currently up to EUR 15,000). The POP mirrors summary state court procedures such as the European Payment Order Procedure. The first months of experience with POP cases show that time and cost are reduced dramatically if the Respondent does not challenge the claim. In particular, the average time between filing and the issuing of a final decision currently is less than 25 days.

  • Protest und Meinungsfreiheit im Stadion (T. Hinderks /M. Prößdorf, S. 35)

This article analyses the interplay between the freedom of expression of sports fans and its legal restriction when visiting stadiums. To this end, it first outlines the constitutional framework for fan statements in stadiums, to which law enforcement authorities, but also stadium operators by way of indirect third party effect, are bound. The article then deals with the potential criminal liability of fan statements such as insults towards the police or rival fans and forms of behaviour that lead to disruptions such as forced match interruptions. The article also deals with civil liability, including damages and injunctions, as well as sanctions under association law in accordance with the DFB-RuVO. Ultimately, the article emphasises the complex balance between protecting freedom of expression and meeting legal obligations in the unique environment of sports stadiums.

The article explores the legal dimensions of the Baller League, a new indoor soccer league in Germany, focusing on sports association, club, and labor law aspects while challenging the DFB’s football monopoly. The article questions the legality of sports associations imposing exclusivity on athletes, emphasizing the necessity for formal regulations and the limitations of associations‘ power, grounded in Art. 9 Abs. 1 GG (German Basic Law). It argues that participation in alternative leagues like the Baller League does not significantly jeopardize the goals of traditional football associations. Regarding clubs, the article states that while clubs have autonomy in setting membership criteria, imposing restrictions on existing members participating in alternative leagues requires clear and justified bylaws. Such restrictions must also respect the members‘ rights and not be arbitrary. From a labor law perspective, the article differentiates between amateurs, semi-professional contract players, and professional players in higher leagues. It notes that while amateur clubs may face challenges imposing participation bans, higher-level leagues could enforce restrictions due to potential conflicts with performance duties and contractual obligations. Overall, the article suggests that cooperation rather than conflict between traditional football structures and new leagues like the Baller League could lead to mutual benefits, emphasizing the shared passion for football.

  • Keine Vergleichbarkeit von Profisportlern mit Bühnenkünstlern? (N. Breucker / C. Pellenz, S. 48)

The article discusses a judgment by the Federal Labor Court in Germany, issued on February 29, 2024, which determines that professional athletes cannot invoke the jurisprudence developed for stage artists regarding lump-sum damages for contractual breaches due to non-employment. The case involved a professional ice hockey player who was unjustly suspended from training, despite his successful appeal against wrongful termination. Initially, the court awarded the athlete two months‘ salary as damages, rejecting his full claim of six months‘ salary. The court distinguishes professional athletes from stage artists as the latter have a unique need for public appearances to develop their skills due to dependency on public perception and networking, which does not suit athletes. Unlike stage artists, professional athletes do not contractually rely on opportunities to compete publicly but on team training for skill development. The article concludes that while temporary non-participation in training can harm an athlete’s development, it lacks the public impact vital to the artist’s context. Therefore, the jurisprudence for stage artists regarding damages is not applicable to athletes, except potentially where an athlete has a contractual guarantee to compete. This decision provides clarity and sets a precedent for similar cases across all team sports, establishing that professional athletes do not have claims for lump-sum damages in cases of unlawful non-employment unless specific contractual conditions are met.

  • Materiellrechtliche und prozessuale Fragestellungen bei einseitigen ­ Verlängerungsoptionen im Profisport (P. S. Fischinger / J. Richter, S. 51)

The article, authored by Prof. Dr. Philipp S. Fischinger and PD Dr. Johannes Richter, discusses legal matters concerning unilateral extension options in professional sports contracts, with a focus on a decision by the LAG Schleswig-Holstein. The central issue is the legality of allowing employers to unilaterally extend fixed-term contracts with professional athletes, specifically in the case between a football player and the Kieler SV Holstein. According to the prevailing opinion, which the court followed, such clauses circumvent § 622 Abs. 6 BGB and are deemed invalid under § 134 BGB. The opposing view suggests reviewing these clauses under general rules like § 307 BGB, considering compensation for the athlete. The article also examines performance-dependent extension clauses, which might similarly disadvantage the player due to club control over match participation, suggesting they might contravene the principles of § 622 Abs. 6 BGB. On procedural aspects, the article highlights challenges in expedited legal proceedings, emphasizing the necessity for prompt decisions to facilitate player transfers during limited periods. Notably, the article contemplates the reduction of appeal timelines to ensure effective legal protection, weighing constitutional considerations like Art. 19 Abs. 4 GG for adjusting procedural rules. Overall, the decision by LAG Schleswig- Holstein is pivotal, impacting the permissibility of contract extensions in sports law and indicating potential risks for clubs utilizing such clauses.

Rechtsprechung

Kurzübersicht (S. 55)

Internationales

  • EuGH: Versagung der Vollstreckbarkeitserklärung eines Urteils ­ wegen drohender Einschränkungen der Pressefreiheit (S. 55)

  • Verwaltungsgericht Französisch-Guyana: Einsicht in Unterlagen des ­ französischen Fußballverbandes aufgrund Informationsfreiheit (S. 59)

Ordentliche Gerichtsbarkeit

  • BGH: Wettbewerbsverhältnis zwischen Veranstalter und Ticket­ zweitmarktplattformen (S. 60)

  • OLG München: Unerlaubte Verwendung des Olympischen Emblems zu Werbezwecken (S. 64)

  • LG München II: Rechtsweg bei Körperverletzung im Eishockey-Oberliga-Spiel unter Profispielern (S. 67)

  • LG Dortmund: Einstellung der Arbeit einer verbandlichen­ Aufarbeitungskommissionn (S. 68)

  • AG Karlsruhe: Strafvereitelung durch Aussageverweigerung von ­ Fanprojekt-Mitarbeitern (S. 73)

Verwaltungsgerichtsbarkeit

  • VG Köln: Rechtswidrige Rückforderung einer „Coronahilfe Profisport“ von Handballbundesligist (S. 77)
Arbeitsgerichtsbarkeit
  • LAG Nürnberg: Keine einstweilige Verfügung auf Feststellung der ­ Wirksamkeit der Kündigung eines Handballprofis (S. 77)

  • ArbG Gera: Arbeitnehmereigenschaft eines nebenberuflichen­ Chef­trainers im Amateurbereich (m. Anm. Fischinger) (S. 81)

  • ArbG Mainz: Keine Kündigung wegen propalästinischer Äußerungen in den Sozialen Medien – Fall „El Ghazi“ (S. 83)

  • ArbG Solingen: Keine Befristung eines Trainerarbeitsvertrags auf den ­ „Abstieg“ (m. Anm. Matschiner) (S. 94)

Verbandsgerichtsbarkeit

  • DFB-Bundesgericht: Regelverstoß der Schiedsrichterin bei ange­ordneter Wiederholung eines Strafstoßes (m. Anm. Deckenbrock) (S. 98) .

  • WDFV-Verbandsgericht: Nichtmeldung eines Regionalliga-SR zum ­ Coaching durch die DFB Schiri GmbH (II) (S. 101)

  • FLVW-Verbandssportgericht: Beweiswürdigung im Sportstraf­verfahren bei rassistischer Beleidigung (m. Anm. Orth) (S. 103)

Schaufenster

  • Sportanwaltstag 15.11. / 16.11.‌ 2024 (S. 107)

  • Vortrag von Prof. Dr. Udo Steiner zu „Sport und Verfassung“ im ­ Deutschen Sport & Olympia Museum am 5.11.‌ 2024 in Köln (S. 110)

  • Diakité: La mise en œuvre du Code mondial antidopage par les États. (Rez. J. Kornbeck) (S. 111)