Sports Avoid Big Licensing Bill

The major spectator sports are understood to be close to a multi-million- pound victory in a long-running battle with government over legislation that would have required every steward at a sporting event to be licensed before they could don a fluorescent jerkin.

Under the Private Security Industry Act all security staff at licensed premises have to submit themselves for vetting and licensing, but an oversight in the drafting of the legislation meant the law applied just as much to sports grounds - nearly all of which are also licensed premises - as it does to nightclubs.

This left clubs and event organisers staring at a huge bill. At golf's Open Championship, for example, hundreds of voluntary stewards would have had to go through the licensing system for a one-off week-long event, and at Wimbledon armed forces and fire service personnel, who forgo leave to take part, would have had to do likewise. For football the problem was more acute, with an estimated 50,000 stewards having to apply for licenses, and the clubs being obliged to foot the bill.

The Home Office has effectively been turning a blind eye to sport's failure to comply so far, but following lobbying led by the big four of tennis, football, rugby and cricket, the government has now relented and the home secretary John Reid is close to rubber-stamping an amendment to the legislation.