Top-level athletes as influencers: the ARPP and INSEP launch a new responsible commercial influence certificate for athletes
A top-level athlete can now choose to be both a competitor and a source of influence beyond the field of play.
Some athletes now command an audience comparable to, or even larger than, that of certain traditional media. A single social media post can reach hundreds of millions of people within hours. The famous photo posted by Cristiano Ronaldo alongside Lionel Messi as part of a brand campaign ranked among the most-liked posts in Instagram’s history (41 million likes), illustrating the media and commercial power that an athlete’s image can represent.
Through social media, athletes build their own communities, share their daily lives, interact directly with their supporters and develop collaborations with brands. Their sporting fame becomes a genuine lever for communication and economic activity.
But this visibility also brings new responsibilities. When an athlete recommends a product, takes part in a campaign or publishes content in partnership with a company, this is no longer merely personal communication: the athlete becomes a player in commercial influence, subject to a legal framework that is now well defined.
This development raises new issues: transparency of partnerships, compliance with advertising rules, image protection, contractual frameworks and reputation management.
The athlete, a potential player in the creator economy
The growth of influencer marketing confirms this transformation. In France, the market was worth €587 million in 2025, according to a joint study by the ARPP (French advertising self-regulatory organisation) and France Pub.
Sport occupies a growing place in this ecosystem. Athletes enjoy a special bond with their communities: their career paths, performances and personalities create a relationship of trust that brands seek out.
This influence is particularly valued in the sport, equipment, nutrition, wellbeing and lifestyle sectors.
But this closeness to the public also calls for particular vigilance since, in any event, a commercial post cannot be treated as mere personal content: it must comply with the rules applicable to advertising and commercial influence.
The line between personal expression and commercial communication is therefore a genuine legal issue.
A certificate to support top-level athletes in this ecosystem
In response to the professionalisation of sports influence, the Institut national du sport, de l’expertise et de la performance (INSEP, French national institute of sport) and the Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP), with the support of the agency Sport 1.5, have developed a version of the Responsible Commercial Influence Certificate dedicated to top-level athletes.
This certificate builds on an existing scheme run by the ARPP, which has already certified more than 2,560 content creators across all categories.
Its aim is to help athletes understand the rules governing their commercial collaborations and their online presence.
The objective is simple: to enable athletes to manage their influence better and to secure their relationships with brands.
In practice, who can take this certificate and what is it for?
This version has been designed specifically for top-level athletes, taking into account the particular features of the sporting world: high media exposure, image management, sponsorship contracts and a growing number of partnerships.
A first cohort of around 50 athletes is due to take the course.
The training consists of an e-learning module of around four hours, followed by a 30-minute assessment. Certification requires a pass rate of at least 75%.
It covers in particular:
the rules applicable to commercial collaborations;
the identification of sponsored content;
good practice in responsible influence;
the protection of audiences, especially younger ones;
issues relating to image and online reputation.
Certified athletes may then be listed in the ARPP’s public directory of certified creators, making it easier for brands looking for partners familiar with good practice to identify them.
Commercial collaborations that must be legally structured
As with any influencer, when an athlete enters into a partnership with a brand, several questions must be anticipated:
Must the content be identified as advertising?
Are the mandatory disclosures complied with?
Does the contract precisely define the services expected?
May the brand reuse the athlete’s image?
What rights are granted over the published content?
Is the partnership compatible with the athlete’s existing commitments?
Since the Law of 9 June 2023 on the regulation of commercial influence, content creators have been subject to a stricter legal framework.
These rules are supplemented by the ARPP’s recommendations and the good practice guidance issued by the Direction générale des entreprises (DGE, French Directorate General for Enterprise).
The athlete must therefore be regarded as a genuine commercial partner, with clearly defined rights and obligations.
The athlete’s image: an asset to be protected
For a top-level athlete, their image is a genuine economic asset.
It can generate income through sponsorship contracts, commercial partnerships, advertising campaigns or the development of personal business ventures.
But that image must be protected and properly managed.
Contracts concluded with brands should, in particular, specify:
the terms of use of the athlete’s image;
the duration and territory of exploitation;
the media concerned;
the rights granted to the brand;
commitments relating to reputation and to the values associated with the athlete.
Particular attention must also be paid to the athlete’s other contracts: club, federation, kit supplier or agent. Certain image or exclusivity clauses may restrict the ability to enter into some partnerships.
A useful certificate, but no substitute for legal advice
The Responsible Commercial Influence Certificate is a useful tool for raising awareness and professionalisation.
It helps athletes better understand the applicable rules and adopt good practice in their commercial communications.
It is, however, no substitute for tailored legal advice.
Each partnership must be analysed in light of the athlete’s situation, existing commitments and the rights negotiated with the brand.
Negotiating image, sponsorship and content creation contracts remains essential to protect the athlete’s interests over the long term.
Towards a lasting professionalisation of sports influence
Social media has changed the way athletes build their profile.
Today, an athlete’s career no longer rests solely on sporting performance: their ability to manage their image, communications and partnerships has also become a strategic issue.
The launch of the Responsible Commercial Influence Certificate for top-level athletes marks an important step in this professionalisation.
For athletes, it means better understanding their rights and obligations. For brands, securing their collaborations. For those who support athletes, fully integrating these new legal issues.
Sports influence is now an economic activity in its own right. Visibility is a considerable opportunity, provided it is managed and properly structured from a legal standpoint.
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