Liability of Sports Officials at Amateur Athletic Contests

1. Law
2. Georgia Code
3. Torts
4. General Provisions
5. Liability of Sports Officials at Amateur Athletic Contests

1. Sports officials who officiate amateur athletic contests at any level of competition in this state shall not be liable to any person or entity in any civil action for injuries or damages claimed to have arisen by virtue of actions or inactions related in any manner to officiating duties within the confines of the athletic facility at which the athletic contest is played.
2. For the purposes of this Code section, the term "sports officials" means:
   1. Those individuals who serve as referees, umpires, linesmen, and those who serve in similar capacities but may be known by other titles and are duly registered with or are members of a local, state, regional, or national organization which is engaged in part in providing education and training to sports officials; and
   2. Those individuals who render service without compensation as a manager, coach, instructor, or assistant manager, coach, or instructor in any system of supervised recreation established pursuant to Chapter 64 of Title 36.
3. Nothing in this Code section shall be deemed to grant the protection set forth in subsection (a) of this Code section to sports officials who cause injury or damage to a person or entity by actions or inactions which are intentional, willful, wanton, reckless, malicious, or grossly negligent.

(Code 1981, §51-1-41, enacted by Ga. L. 1989, p. 1603, § 1.)

Cross references.

- Liability of volunteers, employees, or officers of nonprofit associations conducting or sponsoring sports or safety program; liability of association, § 51-1-20.1.

Editor's notes.

- Ga. L. 1989, p. 1603, § 1, provides that this Act shall apply to causes of action filed on or after the effective date of the Act, including those causes of action which allege actions or inactions of sports officials which occurred prior to the effective date of the Act. This Act became effective April 19, 1989.

Law reviews.

- For article, "Appellate Practice and Procedure," see 63 Mercer L. Rev. 67 (2011).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

City track coach not grossly negligent.

- Volunteer track and field coach was immune from liability under O.C.G.A. § 51-1-41(a) for alleged negligence in placing a barrier at the end of a long jump runway for children in a city recreational program to jump over. The coach's actions did not rise to the level of gross negligence under § 51-1-41(c) as a matter of law. Heard v. City of Villa Rica, 306 Ga. App. 291, 701 S.E.2d 915 (2010).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

School's Failure to Maintain Children's Play Area Properly, 9 POF2d 729.

Sport Injury - Negligence, 15 POF2d 1.

Playground Accidents - Human Impact Tolerance, 21 POF2d 701.

Negligent Operation or Public Swimming Pool, 34 POF2d 63.

Inadequate Protection of Spectator at Sporting Event, 45 POF2d 407.

Liability for Trampoline Injury, 45 POF2d 469.

Assumption of Risk Defense in Sports or Recreation Injury Cases, 30 POF3d 161.

Liability for Errant Golf Ball Shots, 31 POF3d 87.

Negligent Operation of Gymnasium, Health Club, or Similar Facility, 40 POF3d 111.

ALR.

- Construction and application of contact sports exception to negligence, 75 A.L.R.6th 109.

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