French Sports Code

The Minister for Sport will draw up the list of elite sportsmen and women, coaches, referees and judges, based on proposals from the federations. Under the same conditions, it draws up the list of “Espoirs” and national team athletes. It adopts, under the same conditions, the federal performance projects defined in 3° of article L. 131-15. A Conseil d’Etat decree sets out the conditions for application of this article.

Inclusion on the list of top-level athletes mentioned in the first paragraph of article L. 221-2 is subject to the conclusion of an agreement between the federation and the athlete. This agreement sets out the rights and obligations of the athlete and the federation in terms of training and socio-professional support, competitive practice, medical monitoring, compliance with the rules of sporting ethics and image rights. A decree sets out the…

High-level sportsmen and women and referees and judges on the list mentioned in the first paragraph of article L. 221-2 may take part in competitions for jobs in the State, local authorities, their public establishments and any national or semi-public company, without having to meet the diploma requirements for candidates.

The upper age limits set for access to public grades and posts in the State and local authorities do not apply to top-level sportsmen and women or to top-level sports referees and judges on the list referred to in the first paragraph of article L. 221-2. Applicants who are no longer high-level sportsmen and women or high-level sports referees and judges may benefit from a reduction in these age limits…

The specific statute for the body of sports teachers may set a proportion of posts reserved for high-level sportsmen and women, even if they do not belong to the administration, who have been on the list mentioned in the first paragraph of article L. 221-2 for at least three years. Candidates must pass the tests of a specific selection competition.

A high-level sportsperson, judge, referee or trainer, recruited as a non-permanent employee, may benefit, in the two years following their removal from the list of high-level sportspersons, in accordance with the procedures laid down by decree in the Conseil d’Etat, from special conditions of employment designed to facilitate their training and preparation for competitions for access to the civil service, without these having any effect on the duration of the…

If they are employees of the State or a local authority or their public establishments, high-level athletes, referees or judges on the list mentioned in the first paragraph of article L. 221-2 benefit from special conditions of employment, without prejudice to their career, in order to continue their training and take part in sporting competitions, under conditions set by decree in the Conseil d’Etat.

The administrative authority may, after consulting the works council or, failing that, the staff representatives, enter into an agreement with a public or private company designed to facilitate the employment of a high-level sportsperson, referee or judge and his or her professional retraining. The purpose of this agreement is also to define the rights and obligations of the athlete, referee or judge with regard to the company, to ensure that…

Article L. 331-6 of the Education Code sets out the rules governing the preparation of pupils in secondary education establishments with a view to practising sporting excellence, reaching the highest level and practising a sport professionally, when they have signed an agreement as referred to in article L. 211-5 of this Code.

The rules relating to the preparation of students, in higher education establishments, with a view to practising sporting excellence and reaching the highest level and the professional practice of a sporting discipline, when they have concluded an agreement mentioned in article L. 211-5 of this Code, are set out in article L. 611-4 of the Education Code.