The Institutional Position of Athletes in the Governance Networks of the Olympic Movement in Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom

Abstract

Athletes are increasingly playing a role as actors within the sport political arena. Against this backdrop, questions regarding the representation and power of athletes as stakeholders of the Olympic Movement have been raised by academics as well as the media and, above all, the athletes themselves. The aim of this study is to add to the discussion on athlete representation and power by investigating the institutional position of athletes in the governance networks of the Olympic Movement in three different national contexts. Traditional forms of athlete bodies, i.e. Athletes’ Commissions, as well as independent organizations are analyzed regarding their current manifestations and historic developments. To paint a comprehensive picture of institutional power of athletes, Social Network Analysis is utilized to assess power from a network perspective. The qualitative and quantitative results reveal differing degrees of inclusion of athletes into the decision-making structures of National Sport Governing Bodies. From the comparative design of the study, it is possible to show that the underlying principles defining a national sport system influence the position and role of athletes in terms of board membership in National Sport Governing Bodies and the manifestation of organizations representing the athletes’ interest.