Analysis and assessment of legal regulations in the field of medical certificates on sportspeople’s health condition as an aspect of safety in sport

Abstract

The article analyzes and evaluates the legal regulations regulating the subject of medical certificates in sport as issues in the field of safety in sport. Particular attention was paid to the Sport Act of 2010 and its detailed executive acts, as well as other regulations directly related to the issue of medical examinations in sport, on the basis of which authorized entities issue a health certificate enabling safe sport competition organized in principle by Polish sports associations. The author positively assesses the amendment to the regulations in the field of medical examinations in sport carried out in 2019. The changes mentioned in the article were the legislator’s reaction to the expectations of the sports environment regarding the modification of the current legal status. The key improvements include, among others, extending the period of validity of periodic examinations and enabling the issuing of medical certificates by primary care physicians in specific cases. Importantly, in practice these changes have not reduced the quality of medical examinations as an important aspect in terms of guaranteeing the health and safety of sportspeople.