At the beginning of 2026, an amendment to the athletics Act may enter into force, which assumes that the judges will be granted the legal protection provided for public officials. This amendment aims at expanding the safety of arbitrators and reducing incidents involving them.
According to the Ministry of athletics and Tourism project, actions specified as violation of physical immunity, active assault or insult of a justice should be prosecuted by public authorities. The perpetrators of these crimes would be subject to stricter penalties. The hotel hopes that fresh regulations will be an effective tool in the fight against escalation of aggression during sports competitions.
Marcin Polański, justice with 12 years of experience leading matches in the lower leagues, admits that although physical attacks, specified as pushing or harm to property, occur, they are comparatively rare. In his opinion, the perpetrators of specified acts disciplinary consequences already, and tightening the rules may further deter possible physical aggressors.
The problem of verbal aggression and the anonymity of the crowd
However, doubts arise about verbal aggression, which is simply a much more common phenomenon in stadiums. Polanski draws attention to the difficulties in enforcing the law against fans who engage in insults from the stands. The justice emphasizes that the capture of circumstantial perpetrators from the crowd It may not be possible.which gives emergence to the fear that the regulations will stay dead.
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I feel like the stadium for the duration of the game is simply a place ripped out of reality. It's good to have a bill, but... I wonder if she'll be dead. - notes the arbiter.
Instead of changing the penal code, he suggests carrying out broad social actions, financed by a football union or a ministry, which would make the function of a justice in athletics aware.
Legal doubts of experts
Sceptical to planned changes is also Advocate Jacek Masiota, specialist in sports law. It indicates that the position of a public officer involves not only protection, but besides criminal liability and the work to study offences.
- I don't see the similarities and characteristics of the peculiar judges of the sports competition to public officers. It can't be that we're going to extend the catalogue of public officers forever, due to the fact that it'll halt working. - the lawyer comments.
Masiota adds that the law should be simple and enforceable, and in the case of mass insults at stadiums, the work to inform the prosecution by the justice may prove impossible.
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