DENMARK Law and Practice Contributed by: Frederik Bruhn, Rasmus Theis Madsen, Robert Jønsson and Tim Krarup Nielsen, HortenDahl Law Firm
HortenDahl Law Firm Philip Heymans Allé 7 2900 Hellerup Denmark Tel: +45 33 34 40 00 Email: info@hortendahl.dk Web: www.hortendahl.com
1. Athlete Conduct, Integrity and Enforcement 1.1 Anti-Doping Regimes Legal Framework and Prohibited Substances Doping can be a criminal offence in Denmark under the Danish Anti-Doping Act, which prohibits the man - ufacture, import, export, distribution and possession of specific doping substances (eg, anabolic steroids, testosterone, derivatives and growth hormones), unless they are prescribed by a doctor for medical treatment or used for scientific purposes. Violations of this regulation can result in fines or imprisonment for up to two years. The use of substances prohibited by the World Anti- Doping Agency is strictly regulated within the govern - ance of sports in Denmark. The Danish Anti-Doping Rules, enforced by Anti Doping Danmark in co-opera - tion with the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), apply to all athletes competing at elite and competitive levels across vari - ous sports, including football. Football players and clubs in Denmark must also adhere to FIFA’s Anti-Doping Regulations. In addition, national football regulations, including the standard player contract of the Danish Football Association (DBU), contain provisions mandating compliance with anti-doping rules. Enforcement and Recent Cases Disciplinary matters related to doping in Denmark are adjudicated by DIF’s Doping Tribunal. Athletes or clubs may appeal tribunal decisions to DIF’s Board of Appeal, which serves as the highest judicial author - ity within the Danish sports system. Further appeals
may be brought before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Denmark has seen very few doping cases in profes - sional football. In 2024, a Danish badminton player was sanctioned with a 12-month suspension for three whereabouts failures. In 2025, DIF’s Doping Tribunal imposed a one-month suspension on another Danish league badminton player following an in-competition posi - tive test for cannabis after a league match. 1.2 Misconduct and Match-Fixing Legal Framework and Regulatory Measures In Denmark, the regulation of match-fixing and related integrity issues falls under the jurisdiction of DIF, which has established the “Regulations on the Prohibition of the Manipulation of Sports Competitions and Similar Unethical Conduct”, aiming to protect the integrity of sports by preventing, addressing and sanctioning match-fixing and other forms of unethical conduct. These regulations apply to all sports under DIF’s gov - ernance. Athletes found guilty of match-fixing can face severe sanctions, including exclusion from all organised The Danish Gambling Authority operates the whistle- blower hotline “stopmatchfixing”, providing a chan - nel for reporting suspected match-fixing activities. In addition, DIF has established an Ethics Committee with an associated whistle-blower scheme based on governance recommendations. sports activities in Denmark. Whistle-Blower Mechanisms
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