Risk Management in Sports Organisations

Jordon Martin explains how to implement risk management in sports organisations.

Are you a sports officer, director, or administrator interested in implementing a risk management program cost-efficiently? If YES, then this training content is for you! In my experience as a performance coach, I have discovered that most risk management programs are too complicated, long, and hard to implement. Most people fail to realise that focusing more on the bare essentials is the best approach for implementing an unbeatable program, i.e. one that causes the highest injury and liability minimisation.

The Simplified Sports Risk Management Theory

Why do I need a risk management program when I can buy a comprehensive insurance policy? And that is a terrible line of thinking because, whereas an insurance policy may promise to take care of the claims, it surely does not feel good to witness someone sustain an avoidable injury under your care. If that happens and you face litigation, it puts your reputation on the line, with the community and the media painting a different picture of you altogether.

But with an actionable risk management program, the jury will take it that you care. You will preserve your loss record for insurance policies, giving the insurer no reason to refuse to renew your policy or increase the rates.

In a nutshell, effective risk management boils down to:

Acquiring the most comprehensive insurance policy
Transferring the risk of loss to a 3rd party
Avoiding or mitigating high-risk non-essential activities that could cause severe injuries
Taking proactive measures toward preventing injuries

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Risk Management Program

Before jumping into the types available, it is critical to discover the risk management plan that suits you. There are two main versions, basic and broader plans, that you can choose depending on any of the following factors:

Your sports organisation’s size is based on the number of participants (a larger size needs a broader program).
If you have your personalised facilities or premises, a broader program will serve you better.
Your specific sport's nature—if it is high-risk, e.g., gymnastics or football, it may require additional staff training and equipment controls only found in broader programs.
Are your staff resources available regarding time commitment and officers with risk management specialisation?

The Nature of Sports Risk Management Programs

A risk management program is like a double-edged sword. If you do not have it and somebody gets injured under your care, a lawyer may argue that your negligence caused it. Conversely, if you have it but fail to comply with one of the safety rules, leading to an injury and a lawsuit, the plaintiff's lawyer may also file a negligence case, and most likely succeed.

The plaintiff's lawyer can form a case against you whether or not you have a written, formal risk management program. You can take some precautions during the design process to avoid getting in trouble.

For starters, you want to avoid calling it a safety program. Why? Safety programs are usually designed to protect both participants and spectators, and they could cause trouble if you do not adhere to one of the safety rules or if doing so could have stopped the injury.

Instead, calling it a risk management program can cut you some slack. Risk management programs are usually designed to minimise sports organisations’ risk liability. Hence, if you do not stick to your program to the letter, despite having good intentions, you can argue that the plan was meant to protect your organisation against lawsuits and not the participants’ or spectators’ safety.

Critical Elements of a Sports Risk Management Program

Appointment of a Risk Management Officer (RMO)

Appointing an RMO is the first step any sports organisation should take towards implementing a rock-solid risk management program. This officer is tasked with implementing, reviewing, and correcting risk management issues. The RMO should be answerable to the sports organisation board but have the authority to make day-to-day decisions such as modifying or halting practising or playing depending on the hazards.

Acquiring Insurance Policies

Insurance is necessary for sports facilities looking to implement a grade-A risk management program. It should be as comprehensive as possible, including policies for general liability, accident, crime, officers' liability, directors' liability, and equipment coverage. Larger sports organisations with paid employees, complex operations, and owned property (vehicles and buildings) may need additional coverage like auto, property, and workers' compensation.

Transferring Liability Contractually

A risk management program should also have an allocation where sports facilities contractually transfer the financial responsibility for paying for losses. It applies to:

Waiver/Release. All sports facility participants must sign a release and waiver of liability form to protect themselves against lawsuits when an injury occurs.
Medical Consent & Emergency Information. The participants should also sign a medical consent and emergency information form for emergency medical attention cases. Be sure to keep a copy of the form for instant retrieval when needed.
Image Release. You also need the participants to sign an image release form to protect your organisation against potential lawsuits whenever you use their images or videos for commercials.
Facility Lease/Permit Agreements. If you lease your sports facility to a 3rd party or vice versa, there should be a written, formal agreement specifying the lease terms.
Hosting Outside Teams or Tournaments. In this case, you should have the visiting team sign a written agreement with an indemnification provision requiring them to bear the general liability.
Product and Service Vendors. Suppose your facility subcontracts parts of its operations to vendors. In that case, a signed agreement with an indemnification provision specifying the service terms and responsibility for injuries to outsiders and staff should exist.

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

MARTIN, J. (2021) Risk Management in Sports Organisations [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article631.htm [Accessed 11/8/2025]

About the Author

Jordan Martin is an Exercise Physiology Graduate of Florida State University with a focus on team training. Today, he works with his kids in their leagues to help mould the next generation of athletes and coaches. Jordan can exercise, play baseball, or spend time with his family on any given day.

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Are you a sports officer, director, or administrator interested in implementing a risk management program cost-efficiently? If YES, then this training content is for you! In my experience as a performance coach, I have discovered that most risk management programs are too complicated, long, and hard to implement. Most people fail to realise that focusing more on the bare essentials is the best approach for implementing an unbeatable program, i.e. one that causes the highest injury and liability minimisation. The Simplified Sports Risk Management Theory Why do I need a risk management program when I can buy a comprehensive insurance policy? And that is a terrible line of thinking because, whereas an insurance policy may promise to take care of the claims, it surely does not feel good to witness someone sustain an avoidable injury under your care. If that happens and you face litigation, it puts your reputation on the line, with the community and the media painting a different picture of you altogether. But with an actionable risk management program, the jury will take it that you care. You will preserve your loss record for insurance policies, giving the insurer no reason to refuse to renew your policy or increase the rates. In a nutshell, effective risk management boils down to: Acquiring the most comprehensive insurance policy Transferring the risk of loss to a 3rd party Avoiding or mitigating high-risk non-essential activities that could cause severe injuries Taking proactive measures toward preventing injuries Factors to Consider When Selecting a Risk Management Program Before jumping into the types available, it is critical to discover the risk management plan that suits you. There are two main versions, basic and broader plans, that you can choose depending on any of the following factors: Your sports organisation’s size is based on the number of participants (a larger size needs a broader program). If you have your personalised facilities or premises, a broader program will serve you better. Your specific sport's nature—if it is high-risk, e.g., gymnastics or football, it may require additional staff training and equipment controls only found in broader programs. Are your staff resources available regarding time commitment and officers with risk management specialisation? The Nature of Sports Risk Management Programs A risk management program is like a double-edged sword. If you do not have it and somebody gets injured under your care, a lawyer may argue that your negligence caused it. Conversely, if you have it but fail to comply with one of the safety rules, leading to an injury and a lawsuit, the plaintiff's lawyer may also file a negligence case, and most likely succeed. The plaintiff's lawyer can form a case against you whether or not you have a written, formal risk management program. You can take some precautions during the design process to avoid getting in trouble. For starters, you want to avoid calling it a safety program. Why? Safety programs are usually designed to protect both participants and spectators, and they could cause trouble if you do not adhere to one of the safety rules or if doing so could have stopped the injury. Instead, calling it a risk management program can cut you some slack. Risk management programs are usually designed to minimise sports organisations’ risk liability. Hence, if you do not stick to your program to the letter, despite having good intentions, you can argue that the plan was meant to protect your organisation against lawsuits and not the participants’ or spectators’ safety. Critical Elements of a Sports Risk Management Program Appointment of a Risk Management Officer (RMO) Appointing an RMO is the first step any sports organisation should take towards implementing a rock-solid risk management program. This officer is tasked with implementing, reviewing, and correcting risk management issues. The RMO should be answerable to the sports organisation board but have the authority to make day-to-day decisions such as modifying or halting practising or playing depending on the hazards. Acquiring Insurance Policies Insurance is necessary for sports facilities looking to implement a grade-A risk management program. It should be as comprehensive as possible, including policies for general liability, accident, crime, officers' liability, directors' liability, and equipment coverage. Larger sports organisations with paid employees, complex operations, and owned property (vehicles and buildings) may need additional coverage like auto, property, and workers' compensation. Transferring Liability Contractually A risk management program should also have an allocation where sports facilities contractually transfer the financial responsibility for paying for losses. It applies to: Waiver/Release. All sports facility participants must sign a release and waiver of liability form to protect themselves against lawsuits when an injury occurs. Medical Consent & Emergency Information. The participants should also sign a medical consent and emergency information form for emergency medical attention cases. Be sure to keep a copy of the form for instant retrieval when needed. Image Release. You also need the participants to sign an image release form to protect your organisation against potential lawsuits whenever you use their images or videos for commercials. Facility Lease/Permit Agreements. If you lease your sports facility to a 3rd party or vice versa, there should be a written, formal agreement specifying the lease terms. Hosting Outside Teams or Tournaments. In this case, you should have the visiting team sign a written agreement with an indemnification provision requiring them to bear the general liability. Product and Service Vendors. Suppose your facility subcontracts parts of its operations to vendors. In that case, a signed agreement with an indemnification provision specifying the service terms and responsibility for injuries to outsiders and staff should exist. Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: MARTIN, J. (2021) Risk Management in Sports Organisations [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article631.htm [Accessed 11/8/2025] About the Author Jordan Martin is an Exercise Physiology Graduate of Florida State University with a focus on team training. Today, he works with his kids in their leagues to help mould the next generation of athletes and coaches. Jordan can exercise, play baseball, or spend time with his family on any given day. Cookies This website uses cookies placed by third-party services that appear on our pages. Cookies are used for ads personalisation. You consent to these cookies if you continue to use this website. The site does use Google ads and Google have published information about Google’s use of information.