Summary.
The bill states that its purpose is to prevent political interference in sport and strengthen the governance of the Panamanian Sports Institute (Instituto Panameño de Deportes), sports federations, and sports associations. To that end, it combines a prohibition concerning political elements on uniforms and at places associated with sporting activity with a prohibition concerning the composition of certain organizations’ boards. Its provisions address both the visible display of signs and names and the participation of elected public officials in sports governing bodies.
Article 2 prohibits political logos on sports uniforms, signs, advertising billboards, and fascia panels at stadiums, sports centers, sports courts, and playing fields. On those same items, it prohibits the use of the names of officials holding positions with command and jurisdiction, or of candidates for elected office. The provision therefore covers identification appearing on sports clothing as well as identification displayed through signs, billboards, or fascia panels at the sporting locations it lists. The prohibition is framed by what is displayed: political logos and the names of the people specified in the article.
Article 3 addresses the composition of the boards of sports organizations whose legal personality is recognized by the Panamanian Sports Institute. It prohibits officials elected by popular vote from participating on those boards. The condition attached to this prohibition concerns how the official obtained public office, and the sports body concerned is the board of directors. The provision thus connects the participation restriction to sports organizations recognized by the Institute, within the governance purpose stated at the beginning of the bill.
Article 4 provides that the proposed law would take effect upon its promulgation. The bill sets out prohibitions concerning the presence of political logos and specified names on the listed items, and the participation of elected officials on the identified boards. It does not identify provisions of another enactment for amendment or repeal.
The public entities related to its subject matter are the Panamanian Sports Institute and the public bodies to which the officials covered by the prohibitions belong. Sectors that could be interested in or affected by its content include sports federations, associations, and other sports organizations recognized by the Institute, as well as those using sports uniforms or displaying signs, advertising billboards, and fascia panels at stadiums, sports centers, sports courts, and playing fields.
What it proposes.
- Political logos and the names of officials or candidates on uniforms and at sporting venues.
- Participation of elected officials on the boards of recognized sports organizations.
Who it would affect.
- Sports federations and associations.
- Sports organizations recognized by the Panamanian Sports Institute.
- Officials elected by popular vote.
- Those using uniforms or displaying signs, billboards, and fascia panels at sporting venues.
Key points.
- Proposes to prevent political interference in sport and strengthen the governance of the sports bodies it names.Art. 1
- Prohibits political logos on sports uniforms and on the listed items and at the listed sporting venues.Art. 2
- Prohibits the names of officials holding positions with command and jurisdiction on those items.Art. 2
- Prohibits the names of candidates for elected office on those items.Art. 2
- Bars officials elected by popular vote from the boards of sports organizations whose legal personality is recognized by the Panamanian Sports Institute.Art. 3
- Provides that the proposed law would take effect upon promulgation.Art. 4