BELGIUM Law and Practice Contributed by: Sven Demeulemeester, Willem-Alexander Devlies and Daan Buylaert, ATFiELD
Event-specific regulations Football matches must comply with the Football Law of 21 December 1998, which governs sta - dium security and crowd control. Limiting Liability in Belgium Event organisers can take several steps to limit their liability. Waivers and disclaimers Liability waivers in ticketing terms can reduce responsibility for minor risks but cannot exclude all liability. Insurance policies Organisers (must) often obtain liability insur - ance covering accidents, property damage and unforeseen incidents. Compliance with safety standards Adhering to regulations and best practices in event management minimises exposure to liabil - ity claims. Liability That Cannot Be Excluded Under Belgian law, certain types of liability can - not be excluded. • Gross negligence or intentional misconduct – organisers cannot waive liability for severe negligence or deliberate actions that cause harm. • Personal injury and death – excluding liability for injuries or fatalities caused by organiser negligence is not legally enforceable. • Consumer rights violations – consumer pro - tection laws prevent unfair contractual terms that overly limit an attendee’s rights. Athlete Liability to Spectators Athletes can be held liable for harm caused to spectators in the following ways.
• Negligent or reckless conduct – if an athlete’s actions go beyond normal sporting risks (eg, throwing objects into the crowd), then they may face civil liability. • Assault or intentional harm – deliberate vio - lent actions that result in spectator injury can lead to criminal charges and civil claims. Ensuring Safety at Sporting Events Belgian authorities implement multiple measures to maintain safety and prevent disorder at sports events. • The Football Law (1998) – requires secu - rity measures at stadiums, including CCTV surveillance, crowd control strategies and banning orders for violent fans. • Police and stewarding – local law enforce - ment and private security teams ensure pub - lic order and safety within venues. • Alcohol and pyrotechnic restrictions – strict regulations prohibit excessive alcohol sales and the use of fireworks inside stadiums. • Fan identification and ticketing control – clubs use personalised ticketing and bans on trou - blemakers to prevent hooliganism. 4. Corporate 4.1 Legal Sporting Structures Common Legal Forms of Sporting Bodies In Belgium, sporting bodies, including profes - sional and non-professional sports clubs as well as sports governing bodies, typically adopt the following legal structures. Non-profit associations (VZW/ASBL – Vereniging Zonder Winstoogmerk/Association Sans But Lucratif) Most amateur clubs and federations operate as non-profit associations. They focus on sports
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