It's Not Just Hockey Games Where The Fists Fly

Sports invoke the passion of their players, fans and spectators. Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in the trend of passion supplanting reason and sportsmanship. In British Columbia youth sports are gaining attention for adult coaches tripping young teenagers and parent altercations arising in the stands. Alberta, for the 2012-2013 hockey season, expanded its "Respect in Sport" program to require at least one parent of an enrolled child to take the "parent program" as a pre-condition to a child's eligibility to play. When sporting events go awry criminal charges and/or lawsuits often arise. For insurers of sporting organizations a key question is who will be liable when these incidents lead to injury?