Legal, managerial, educational, and technical factors of liability for school sports accidents among physical education teachers in Iran

Background and Study Aim. Physical education teachers are legally responsible for ensuring the physical, psychological, and personal safety of students during school sports activities. Failure to fulfill these duties may result in civil or criminal liability. Despite the growing legal awareness among parents and students, many physical education teachers have limited knowledge of legal mechanisms that may reduce or clarify their responsibility in the event of sports accidents. The aim of this study was to examine the legal, managerial, educational, and technical factors related to the disclaimer of responsibility of physical education teachers during school sports activities in Iran. Materials and Methods. A descriptive-analytical research design was applied. The study sample consisted of 225 physical education teachers (98 females and 127 males) selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire included four dimensions: technical, managerial, educational, and legal factors. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and LISREL software. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess construct validity, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α = 0.87). The Friedman test was applied to rank the priority of the identified factors. Results. Factor analysis identified four distinct factors explaining an acceptable proportion of total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good model fit (CFI, GFI, AGFI > 0.90; RMSEA < 0.08). Among all dimensions, legal factors received the highest priority. Specifically, institutional support from education departments, preparation of standard consent forms, and the use of legal acquittal documents were ranked as the most important measures for reducing teachers’ legal responsibility. Significant differences were observed in the perceived importance of legal factors among participants. Conclusions. Legal considerations play a central role in managing responsibility for school sports accidents. Enhancing legal awareness, providing institutional support, and implementing standardized legal documents may reduce the legal risks faced by physical education teachers. These measures can also improve teachers’ professional confidence and contribute to safer school sports environments.