REGULATORY AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF COACHES OF SPORTS CLUBS IN UKRAINE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract

The professional activity of coaches in sports clubs is one of the key factors in the development of physical culture and sports at both the national and international levels. The purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of the aspects of the professional activities of coaches in sports clubs in Ukraine and the European Union (EU), highlighting the legal acts that concern the legal status of coaches, their labor rights and duties, certification procedures, and mechanisms of social protection. The article examines the legal and regulatory aspects of coaching activities in Ukraine and the EU, focusing on the specifics of educational requirements, certification, attestation, labor rights, and social guarantees. In the context of reforming Ukraine’s sports sector and its integration into the European space, harmonizing national standards with European ones, particularly the European Qualifications Framework, is essential. In Ukraine, the professional activities of coaches are regulated by several legal acts, such as the Law of Ukraine «On Physical Culture and Sports» and the Classifier of Professions DК 003:2010, which establishes mandatory specialized education and regular certification. Meanwhile, in the EU, considerable attention is paid to the recognition of non-formal education through the Recognition of Prior Learning mechanism and the participation of coaches in professional development programs such as Erasmus+. A comparative analysis demonstrates that labor relations and social guarantees in the EU are more detailed and standardized, whereas in Ukraine, these aspects remain less developed. The findings of the study can be used to improve the national legal framework in the field of coaching, aimed at ensuring the professional development of specialists and their integration into the European sports community.