Events Law
In addition to the eagerly anticipated Asian Football Cup 2019, FIFA World Cup 2022, and Expo 2020 events, headline sports events already include top-tier competitions in golf, tennis, horseracing, swimming, and rugby, as well as Formula Races, Rally Races, and UCI Cycling Events. The commercial and leisure sectors are encouraged to promote employment, tourism, community development, and gains in other, linked sectors as a result of this dynamic growth, which also contributes significantly to the provision of public entertainment.
Although this quick development of hard and soft infrastructure is very beneficial for both the government and private business, industry growth cannot be sustained without concurrent development of regulatory structures and services that take into account some of the practical concerns of growing safety and security threats. Particularly, comprehensive strategy and safety plans are required to take into consideration the potential impact of hazards represented by catastrophic occurrences, from fire and traffic congestion to cyber or terrorist attacks. The need for safety and security forms the foundation of a sizeable portion of the growth and investment in the major events sector. It is crucial to keep in mind that, in addition to governmental organizations like tourism departments and sports councils, event rights holders, host facilities or venues, event organizers, broadcasters, sponsors, and a variety of third party contractors will probably be involved in one or more stages of the delivery of major events. Even in situations when there is excellent stakeholder coordination, there may be compete commercial interests, a poor information flow, and a lack of oversight of all potential risk levels. At one or more of these levels, business choices about contracting out of or purchasing insurance against specific recognized risks may be made.
The identification and mitigation of risks may not always be given top priority, despite the fact that this is frequently good business practice. The involvement of the government is crucial in coordinating a suitable balance between hospitality and security because of this, particularly the function of the police.
The Security of Sports Facilities and Events Resolution (also known as the “Resolution“) was published in 2015 as Cabinet Resolution No. 31 about the Executive Regulations of Federal Law No. 8 of 2014. It offers direction on the extent of legal responsibilities impacting individuals responsible for planning and hosting sporting events. The Resolution’s history and primary goals are to define obligations for sports facility organizers, spectator behavior, and fighting corruption. The rules are appreciated at a time when the UAE has solidified its reputation as a venue for sporting events across a wide range of sports and seek to build on its successful track record as a destination for sports and events tourism.
The entire execution and implications of the Resolution have not yet been determined, but they could have a significant influence. However, it should be welcomed in an effort to keep the UAE, which already hosts some of the most well-known athletic events in the world and might have hopes to host the Olympics, in the forefront of the international sporting events industry. However, for businesses and people to act legally and within the law, the regulations must be fully understood. It will take time and effort to get things right, but compliance with the law is a need that must be sought as a step towards best practices.
