BUSINESS deals clinched over a friendly round of golf could be a thing of the past thanks to new European rules on sex discrimination.

The legislation has been expanded to make it easier for women to prove discrimination took place.

And it now includes practices outside the workplace - which means employees could sue if they are treated unfairly because of the way a company conducts its business.

So if a woman was not getting as much business as a male colleague who did deals at the golf club and her career options were limited, she would have a case.

And that means the ''boys club'' network where deals are struck on the golf course, at the football and in other traditionally male-dominated arenas could soon be out of bounds.

Sex discrimination

The EU directive came into force on Friday. And although it refers largely to discrimination against women, the law is open to both sexes.

In theory the amendments to the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act could open the floodgates for hundreds of cases, but business leaders and lawyers alike are waiting to see how the ruling works.

Angie Robinson, Manchester Chamber chief executive, said: ''This seems to be a silly example of more red tape.

''Many companies foster a networking culture and clearly it's a choice for them and their employees as to what extent they use this new directive.''

Susan Morrison, head of employment law at Manchester firm Mace and Jones, believes the ruling could make it easier for female employees to prove discrimination took place.

She said: ''The new regulations are designed to address some of the difficulties still facing women in the employment field.

''In particular, the problem of proving discrimination is now supposedly easier in that the burden of proof has changed.

''If a woman can prove facts from which a tribunal could conclude discrimination has occurred, it now falls to the employer to prove no such discrimination occurred.

''The definition of indirect discrimination has also changed - it is now wider and could, for example, cause problems for employers who promote men because of the amount of business they bring in from attending corporate functions not open to female members of staff.

''Employers will have to pay particular attention to affording equality of opportunity to all employees and to make sure that promotion and advancement is based as far as possible on gender neutral criteria.''

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