It has issued a ruling following a sports club's decision to prevent two girls from participating in its team because they were not enrolled in the school sports programme

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TSJV rules on a club's veto of two girls for not playing school sports

It all started when a sports club, whose name has not yet been disclosed, decided to exclude two players on the grounds that its internal rules required children to be enrolled in school sports activities in order to be part of its federated teams. The parents of the girls, considering this decision discriminatory and in violation of their right of access to sport, decided to take the case to court.

The TSJV ruling: discrimination?

The High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community has analysed the situation and has determined that the club's decision is not valid from a legal point of view. According to the ruling, the fact that a club establishes participation in school sport as a compulsory requirement in order to allow registration in a federated competition has no legal support and can be considered an artificial barrier that limits the right of minors to play sport on equal terms.

The ruling of the TSJV stresses that sports clubs cannot establish exclusionary criteria without reasonable justification, especially when they affect minors. Furthermore, the ruling stresses that sports regulations must guarantee universal access to sport and avoid practices that could be considered discriminatory.

A ruling that will mark the present and the future

This case could set an important precedent in the regulation of access to sport for children and young people in Spain. The ruling of the TSJV makes it clear that clubs cannot impose arbitrary requirements that limit the participation of children in official competitions.

Furthermore, this ruling could influence future regulations on the functioning of clubs and federations to ensure that all minors have equal opportunities to develop their talent and compete under fair conditions.