European Sports Research Articles

Analyzing the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Economies of Major European Sports Clubs in 2020

We aim to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the economies of major European sports clubs, including those in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.This study identifies the repercussions of the suspension of numerous professional sports leagues worldwide, putting hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk and affecting the revenues of the sports industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.This study utilized data obtained from European football leagues for the year 2020 to examine the impact of the COVID-19 situation on major European clubs. Through analysis, we described the effects of the pandemic on these clubs.Key findings include the suspension of numerous professional sports leagues worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, posing a risk to hundreds of thousands of jobs. Additionally, the pandemic had a significant impact on sports industry revenues globally in 2020. Specifically, it was observed that English Premier League clubs' sports companies were particularly affected, experiencing losses ranging between 1.15 and 1.25 billion euros.The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the economy of major world clubs' sports companies, leading to a decline exacerbated by increased indebtedness. With competitions suspended and revenue sources such as match tickets, advertising, and television rights diminished, clubs faced economic strain, lacking the subsidies necessary to cover their financial burdens.

Mapping the influence of government on the professionalization process of national sport federations in Iran

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate Iran as a context to address the question: “How do the Iran’s government structures impact the sport system’s prospects toward sport professionalization?” This study used Nagel, S., Schlesinger, T., Bayle, E., & Giauque, D. [(2015). Professionalisation of sport federations – a multi-level framework for analysing forms, causes and consequences. European Sport Management Quarterly, 15(4), 407–433] multilevel analysis to identify potential sport professionalization causes and consequences and profile Iranian national sports federations (NSFs). Data were collected through 16 semi-structured interviews with Iranian NSF experts and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach. The study offers a consolidated comprehensive framework for analyzing the professionalization of sports in the context of government influence within Iran showing how the systemic, organizational, and occupational processes are associated with leadership bodies (LB), presidential sport organizations (PSOs) and NSFs. Findings revealed that sport professionalization in Iran depends on the government, and policymaking conflicts between PSOs and LBs need to be addressed. This study delineates that sport professionalization consequences are not limited to NSFs and their member associations because the prospect of sport professionalization in Iran represents a means to achieve national outcomes such as soft power and society’s health. This study used Iran as a context to explain the influence of government on and identify new factors for sport professionalization.

Reliability and Validity of Self-Reported Questionnaires Assessing Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Finland.

Reliable and valid data on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are needed for implementing evidence-based interventions and policies. Monitoring of these behaviors is based on PA questionnaires (PAQs) and device-based measurements, but their comparability is challenging. The present study aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of Finnish versions of the widely used PAQs (IPAQ-SF, EHIS-PAQ, GPAQ, Eurobarometer) and to compare their data with accelerometer data. This study is based on the Finnish data of the European Union Physical Activity and Sport Monitoring project (EUPASMOS). Participants (n = 62 adults, 62% women) answered the PAQs twice, one week apart, and wore an accelerometer for these seven consecutive days. Intraclass correlations, Spearman's rank correlations, t-tests, and Cohen's kappa with bootstrap confidence intervals were used to analyze the data. The PAQs had typically moderate-to-good test-retest reliability (ICC 0.22-0.78), GPAQ, EHIS-PAQ, and Eurobarometer showing the highest reliability. The PAQs correlated with each other when assessing sitting and vigorous PA (R = 0.70-0.97) and had a fair-to-substantial agreement when analyzing adherence to the PA recommendations (74-97%, Cohen's kappa 0.25-0.73). All the PAQs had a poor criterion validity against the accelerometry data. The Finnish versions of the PAQs are moderately reliable and valid for assessing PA, adherence to PA recommendations and sitting among adult participants. However, the poor criterion validity against accelerometer data indicates that PAQs assess different aspects of PA constructs compared to accelerometry.

Discrimination in Youth Sport: Exploring the Experiences of European Coaches

Discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation remains a critical concern across Europe, including within the sphere of youth sports. Research has shown that youth sports can be a fertile environment for discrimination and bullying and that coaches play a key role in preventing or mitigating discriminatory situations. Given the crucial role of coaches, it is therefore important to build our understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and needs of those coaches concerning discrimination in sports. Against this background, this paper presents the results of an applied survey of 174 European youth sport coaches conducted as part of the INCLUDE project. In particular, this survey focuses on the experiences of coaches when witnessing and reporting discrimination, as well as their perspectives on what needs to be done in the policy and educational areas to combat issues of discrimination. Results show that 25% of coaches witness discrimination on a monthly basis and that fans or spectators are perceived as the most common perpetrators. To combat the issues, coaches report a need for greater policy support, funding, training, and awareness raising. To conclude, we discuss the practical, policy, and research implications of these findings.

Current issues of training specialists in the field of physical culture and sports in European countries

The issue of training specialists in the field of physical culture and sports in European countries is becoming increasingly important due to various geopolitical, cultural, and political challenges of our time. The aim of this study was to examine contemporary trends in the training of specialists within the field of physical culture and sports, to identify both pedagogical and global challenges that these specialists face, and to explore potential solutions to address these challenges effectively. The study employed a combination of analytical, descriptive, and theoretical methods, analyzing reports and documents on the quality and challenges faced by European educational institutions and sports organizations. The findings highlighted the need to improve the overall state of development of physical culture and sports in European countries based on the principles of innovative pedagogical activity, effective management, and international cooperation. Additionally, these results can serve as theoretical, methodological, and practical resources for further research on the policies and training of specialists in physical culture and sports both in Europe and globally.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND MODERN INTERPRETATION OF THE FACTORS OF THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE

Background and Study Aim. Today, professional sports are a powerful social phenomenon that is developing at a high rate both in terms of sports and in terms of business. It is natural that various factors influence this process throughout the history of its formation and development. Study Aim: to identify the key factors that influenced and influence the formation and development of professional sport in Europe and North America. Material and Methods. The main materials for the research were data from historical and modern materials regarding various factors that determined and determine now the peculiarities of professional sport development in Europe and North America. Methods: analysis and synthesis, historical method, systematic approach, theoretical interpretation and explanation. Results. Given the global phenomenon of professional sport in the modern world, it should be noted that its structure and effectiveness depend from a wide range of factors, both the external environment and those related to the construction of internal mechanisms of professional sports organizations. Among them: globalization, geopolitical and economic trends, transformation of information and communication technologies, crisis social factors, sports migration, population and demographic ratios in the country, monopoly and competition in the professional sports arena in relation to the coexistence of different organizations in one sport, the focus of professional leagues on higher efficiency. Among the factors that have a negative impact on the development of professional sport today should be noted corruption aspects of professional sports activities. Conclusions. The nature of the influence of these factors is determined by the territorial affiliation of professional sport organizations, as there are certain traditions and legal frameworks of their operation in the United States and various European countries, which have significant differences. At the same time, today the North American remains a more effective model of professional sport development in terms of organizational and economic efficiency.

“We are not selling soap here, you know”: Eight humanistic leadership qualities in sport

One of the main tasks for leaders is to make work purposeful for others. As the promotion of purpose through leadership is often context-specific and dependent on interpersonal relations, this study explores the relation between humanistic leadership, existential reflections, and the Jungian theory on ‘individuation’ among non-profit sports leaders in Europe. To that end, the research questions in this article are (a) what kind of existential learning sports leader veterans have gained through their positions, (b) how it has enabled them to grow as persons and leaders, and (c) how these experiences may be helpful to other leaders. To explore these questions, this study drew upon the principle of episodic inquiry and qualitative interviews with highly experienced Norwegian sports leaders ( N = 16). Through an episodically based recollection of life experiences, the study specifies eight qualities that enable today’s leaders in European sport to develop a humanistic leadership practice.

No novelty effect but a honeymoon that lasts: On the attendance effects of new football stadiums

In US-based studies focusing on the impact of new sports stadiums on attendance, a recurring observation is the temporary nature of the initial positive effect, commonly described as a novelty or honeymoon effect. This paper revisits the attendance effects of new sports stadiums in a European sports league, i.e. the top tier of Dutch professional football. Analyzing data over a period of three decades the main conclusion is that for many new stadiums the positive attendance effect persists. There is no transient novelty effect but a long-lasting positive attendance effect of new football stadiums.

What makes national sport federations consider environmental sustainability? A conceptual framework on the agenda setting process based on a multiple case study

Introduction
 In Europe, more than 60 million people practice sport in a club. Through the consumption behaviour of this large number of sport club members, organised sport not only has positive impacts, but can be deleterious to the environment, for example through travel behaviour or the destruction of natural habitats caused by sport activities and required infrastructure (McCullough et al., 2020). National sport federations, which represent sport clubs and engage in sport policy issues, could be crucial when it comes to taking measures concerning the environmental sustainability of and through organised sport. However, sport federations are traditionally committed to the interests of their members and sport as their core business (Thiel & Mayer, 2009). Therefore, this study addresses the extent to which environmental policies are set on agendas in national sport federations and which drivers are relevant for the agenda setting of such policies.
 Methods
 To gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of these questions, we conducted an explorative qualitative multiple case study with eight Swiss sport federations. To investigate the agenda-setting process in sport organisations, we employed the multiple streams approach by Kingdon (1984).
 Results
 The developed conceptual framework shows that whereas nature conservation policies were primarily driven by national regulations, climate protection policies were pushed by engaged functionaries of the federations. Functional issues (as opposed to normative arguments), sponsor and member interests, practices of other federations and societal developments could further facilitate or impede the agenda setting of all types of environmental policies.
 Discussion/Conclusion
 This study provides valuable insights into the drivers of the agenda setting of environmental policies in national sport federations. Furthermore, it outlines the fit and limitations of the multiple streams approach according to Kingdon (1984) to explain agenda setting processes in national sport federations and extends it by external factors to gain a more holistic perspective of the phenomenon. Understanding drivers in the agenda setting of environmental policies in national sport federations is especially important because it is a prerequisite for the subsequent decision making and implementation of such policies and can help to shape the response of the organised sport to environmental challenges.
 References
 Kingdon, J. W. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Little Brown and Co.
 McCullough, B. P., Orr, M., & Watanabe, N. M. (2020). Measuring externalities: The imperative next step to sustainability assessment in sport. Journal of Sport Management, 34(5), 393–402. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2019-0254
 Thiel, A., & Mayer, J. (2009). Characteristics of voluntary sports clubs management: A sociological perspective. European Sport Management Quarterly, 9(1), 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184740802461744

Good governance principles: Snapshot of athletes’ and coaches’ commissions within their National Sports Federations in 2019

Introduction
 Good governance principles of National Sports Federations (NSF) include the representation of athletes and coaches through commissions (PlayTheGame, n. d.). This representation has been an important issue in Switzerland since the “Magglingen Protocols” of October 2020, which outlined the abuses in Swiss women’s gymnastics. In response, Swiss Olympic and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport have taken measures, including the representation of athletes and coaches within their NSFs. One year before the abuses became public, athletes, coaches and NSFs’ officials were surveyed regarding principles of good governance. The surveys comprised questions on their involvement in policy-making at national level and, in particular, the existence of an athletes’ and coaches’ commission within their NSFs.
 Methods
 Using the SPLISS model (Sports Policy Factors Leading to International Sporing Success) and respective surveys (De Bosscher et al., 2006), 1,450 athletes with a Swiss Olympic Card Gold, Silver, Bronze or Elite from 54 different sports, 734 coaches with a national coaching position and a professional coaching qualification and 122 officials from NSFs were surveyed via an online survey (Kempf et al., 2021).
 Results
 Around 990 athletes assessed their involvement in the development and evaluation of policy guidelines, of which 16% (n = 156) reported to be “very/sufficiently involved” in the development within their NSF, followed by 13% (n = 130) for Swiss Olympic and 10% (n = 99) in FOSPO respectively. Overall, 50% (n = 451 – 507) of athletes consider their involvement to be “insufficient/not at all” in all three organisations. The responses for the evaluation of policy guidelines were similar. Regarding the existence of an athlete’s commission within their NSF, 44% (n = 442) of athletes stated that there is one, while 35% (n = 351) did not know; respectively coaches for coaches’ commission: 30% (n = 129) and 25% (n = 108). Finally, 46% (n = 41) of officials stated that there was a coaches’ committee in their NSF and 30% (n = 25) for the athletes’ commissions respectively.
 Discussion/Conclusion
 The results show that in 2019, an important number of athletes do not feel sufficiently involved in national level policy-making and that a significant number of athletes and coaches are not represented by a commission within their NSF. Meanwhile, the findings confirm the need for improved communication, particularly in relation to the existence of commissions. As posited by PlayTheGame (n. d.), clearly communicating the rights and responsibilities of commission members is needed to improve coaches and athletes’ involvement. Further research could make a comparison with the current situation and analyse the impact of the measures introduced by FOSPO and Swiss Olympic since 2020.
 References
 De Bosscher, V., De Knop, P., Van Bottenburg, M., & Shibli, S. (2006). A conceptual framework for analysing sports policy factors leading to international sporting success. European Sport Management Quarterly, 6(2), 185-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184740600955087
 Kempf, H., Weber, A. C., Zurmühle, C., Bosshard, B., Mrkonjic, M., Weber, A., Pillet, F., & Sutter, S. (2021). Leistungssport Schweiz. Momentaufnahme SPLISS-CH 2019 [High performance sport Switzerland. Snapshot SPLISS-CH 2019] (2nd, rev. ed.). Bundesamt für Sport BASPO.
 PlayTheGame. (n. d.). Strengthening athlete power in sport. https://www.playthegame.org/projects/strengthening-athlete-power-in-sport-sapis/

The Sportscomp Erasmus+ Project: Higher Education to Improve Competency in Sports Physiotherapy.

One of the most important milestones of the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT), a specialty group of the World Physiotherapy (WP) group, was the creation of the Sports Physiotherapy Competencies and Standards document. This statement, finalized by an international panel of experts almost twenty years ago, under The European Union-funded Sports Physiotherapy for All (SPA) project, describes effective professional behaviours and integrates specific knowledge, skills and attitudes in the context of practice. These competencies provide a basis for policy development, enable quality assurance activities and facilitate individual professional development.

Gender equity in sport from the perspective of European women athletes and sport managers, physical education teachers and sport coaches.

For years, gender inequality has conditioned women's participation in sport, exposing them to difficult situations and numerous barriers to face. However, no previous research has analyzed the situation of women in sport from the perspective of the athletes themselves, or from the perspective of the coaches, teachers or managers who work with them. This study examines the perspectives of European women athletes, sports managers, physical education teachers, and sports coaches, on gender equity in sports across six European countries: Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The research design was consistent with a critical realist epistemology, and the sampling method was non-probabilistic by convenience. A total of 42 female athletes (mean age: 24.37 ± 8.27 years old; mean sport experience: 6.67 ± 7.76 years) and 45 sports managers, physical education teachers or coaches (mean age: 47.00 ± 11.99 years old; mean sport experience: 9.62 ± 10.60 years), participated in six focus groups in the same countries, in groups of 6 to 10 participants per focus group. Focus groups were conducted to stimulate collective discussions, build upon and question ideas, and reach a consensus on questions drawn up by a group of experts, following previous methodologies. The data analysis involved transcribing, translating, and contextualizing the focus group recordings into English. Inductive thematic analysis, reflexive thematic analysis, and codes and themes within the data were created using NVivo 12 Pro. The main topics discussed by the female athletes were "gender inequality in general and in sport," "barriers to gender equity," "reasons for abandonment," "needs," "environment role models" and "tools for the gender equity in sport." The main topics discussed by the sports managers, physical education teachers, and coaches were "gender inequality in general," "gender inequality in sports," "tools" and "reasons, motives, drivers." The results of the study revealed that gender inequality in sports is influenced by a broader social context, where stereotypes, biases, and discrimination persist. The participants also highlighted the challenges, barriers, and needs that women athletes face in their careers, such as a lack of resources, support, visibility, and recognition. Moreover, the participants suggested some strategies to promote gender equity in sports, such as increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership and role modeling, and developing mixed and inclusive sports projects. According to athletes and sports managers/teachers/coaches, gender inequality is still present in sport. There are barriers and challenges that need to be addressed such as lack of resources, visibility, and recognition for female athletes. Among the strategies that can be used to reverse this situation are increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership, and developing mixed and inclusive sport projects.

Exploring resistance to change in Chinese children's sports schools: An analysis of multiple external and internal perspectives

The development of sports in children is crucial. Unlike European and American sports clubs, China uses children's sports schools as its main form of competitive sports training. However, with the changing economy and mindset in China, this approach is facing challenges and is in urgent need of changes allowing the school and its internal staff to be more sustainable as they can adapt and survive in the overall market. This change means that such schools can no longer simply rely on government assistance but rather must be more in tune with the market economy and gain competitiveness. Zhangjiakou, China, one of the host cities for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has a good overall sports atmosphere. Its municipal government attaches importance to sports development, including children's sports, with several children's sports schools that are typical of this study. Accordingly, seven Zhangjiakou sports schools were selected for investigation through field research and sampling. Moreover, the sources of resistance to change in Zhangjiakou children's sports schools were analyzed from multiple perspectives, including external politics and economy, internal group and individual perspectives, using data from questionnaires and in-depth interviews.

Regulation and Management of European Sports Leagues – The Case of Swiss Professional Football

Regulation and Management of European Sports Leagues – The Case of Swiss Professional Football

‘Sporting merit’ in European Union law

‘Sporting merit’ played a central role in the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in European Super League Company and Royal Antwerp, However, the concept has been undertheorised, and its role in the so-called ‘European sport model’ (‘ESM’) has been understudied. This article seeks to address this literature gap by understanding both the meaning and role of ‘sporting merit’ in EU law. It begins by analysing the Court’s use of ‘sporting merit’ in its recent case law, arguing that the concept has become a cornerstone of the ESM. It then attempts to conceptualise ‘sporting merit,’ arguing that there are two possible ways to define this concept: a ‘static’ one, which prioritises the reward of immediate sporting achievements; and a ‘dynamic’ one, which places a greater emphasis on the promotion of long-term competitive balance. To understand the respective implications of these definitions, this article then explores how sporting merit is approached in both Europe and the USA. It argues that, whereas the ESM places a greater emphasis on the ‘static’ understanding of sporting merit, its North American counterpart embraces a ‘dynamic’ approach thereto, for example through financial redistribution and through sport-related corrective mechanisms such as draft systems. Building on the above, this article queries whether – and if so how – such corrective mechanisms could be incorporated into the ESM; whether doing so would lead to a more coherent approach to the promotion of ‘sporting merit,’ and whether it would be more in line with Article 165 TFEU.

Balancing between Team and Organisation: The Relationship between Stakeholders’ Influence and Trust and Cohesion in Post-transitional South-East European Basketball Teams

This explorative study examines whether the involvement of different stakeholders in South-East European basketball team activities significantly correlates with two crucial constructs often reported to be predictors of well-functioning teams in interacting sports, namely trust and cohesion among team members, and discusses what might cause these relationships. The Group Environment Questionnaire and a four-dimensional “competence-benevolence-integrity-predictability” trust scale were used for a sample of 73 basketball clubs from South-Eastern Europe (559 athletes, 73 head coaches, 73 directors). Correlation analyses showed that team cohesion is in a negative relationship with the influence of media, while trust within teams positively correlates with the influence of professional athletes in team activities. The trust relationship between athletes and coach is weaker in the case of private sponsors’ interference, while the coach's trust in the athletes positively correlates with the influence of volunteers. These findings combined with the literature review show that in the context of post-transitional South-East European sport clubs’ higher level of professionalisation appears to make it easier to achieve trustworthy relationships and higher team cohesion, while an increase in private sponsors’ interference might impair the coach–athletes relationship. The study provides a robust quantitative starting point and a set of new research questions for further examination of the causality between stakeholder activities and sport team dynamics, whereas from a practical point of view it points to relationships in need of greater attention in the stakeholder management process.

THE DETERMINANTS OF SERVICE QUALITY IN SKI TOURISM

Regarding the fact that skiing is the most popular winter sport in Europe, the aim of the paper was to analyse the main determinants of service quality in ski tourism.
 When defining the research process, it was noted that literature review has recognised significant studies dealing with the concept of ski tourism from different aspects such as tourist motivation to travel, ski tourism sustainability and clime change, marketing strategies or ski tourism infrastructure. However, there is a certain research gap in exploring the determinants of service quality in winter sports. Therefore, the main research question in this paper is to identify the significant factors that influence the service quality in ski tourism and affect tourist satisfaction levels.
 The research is based on a sample of 157 recreational skiers who visited the Republic of Serbia during winter seasons in years 2022 and 2023. In the interpretation and processing of data, descriptive statistics and t test were used. The findings indicated the diversity of ski tracks, landscape, nature and hospitality as the most significant determinants of service quality in ski tourism.

European Cities of Sport as a Strategic Policy for Local Development of Sports: A Perspective from Sports Management in the Last Decade

Abstract European sports policies have focused on the implementation of public instruments and policy measures, aiming to encourage EU member states to promote and improve sports habits, while simultaneously tackling high levels of sedentary lifestyle among Europeans. Despite these efforts, data concerning the various measures is quite limited, making it impossible to assess the real impact on the population, particularly in the case of the European Cities of Sport. This award has been held since 2007 and has already distinguished 193 cities; however, current knowledge does not allow researchers to theorise about its multiple impacts as a strategic policy instrument for the local development of sport in Europe, thus constituting a gap within sports management research. In order to further this knowledge, we explored European reality over a decade (2013–2022), analysing nine awards of Portuguese cities. We employed qualitative methods for documentary analysis of public information and descriptive statistics for data analysis. The results show that over 2 600 multidisciplinary events were organised, among which 402 had an international character (15%), an average of 50 sports disciplines per edition, 359 events related to culture and education, and involved over 1 000 000 participants, with an overall investment of over €39 million. This research now allows a theoretical-scientific and operational referential pattern of key indicators to be established for future European ECS applications, while demonstrating an encouraging relationship, from a sports perspective and economically, between public investment made and estimated return, thus contributing to better political decisions and to the positive implications of increasing public investment in sport.

Down with the politics, up with the law! Reinforcing EU law’s supervision of sport autonomy in Europe

The rulings of the CJEU in Superleague, Royal Antwerp and ISU endorse some of the characteristics of the European Model of Sport without explicitly referring to it. The Court recognises across the three judgments the specific nature of sport, the cultural importance of sport in Europe, the primacy of sporting merit and equal opportunities in sport competitions, and the relevance of redistribution to maintain amateur and commercial sport intertwined. The CJEU also acknowledges the legitimacy of sport governing bodies as regulators of their sport, but severely limits their autonomy to do so. The judgments are extremely critical of sport governance structures in two main areas: policy-making processes, and accountability mechanisms. The latter is severely criticised with demands for sport federations to produce thorough and convincing evidence that could demonstrate the benefits of their anticompetitive rules and regulations, so they can be granted and exemption under EU law. Furthermore, the Court criticises forced arbitration through the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The judgments assert the primacy of EU law over politics in European sport regulation, whilst also reinforcing the supervised nature of sport autonomy in the European Union. The judgments can also be interpreted as a warning to the Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the EU on the limits of Article 165 TFEU in the development of a European sport policy.

Sports governance after the superleague judgment: going into extra time?

This paper argues that the Superleague Judgment creates the conditions necessary for the political process to step in and do its part in providing a much-needed regulatory framework for transnational sports organizations to exercise their powers in an accountable manner and in accordance with the values usually attributed to the European Sports model. Indeed, the key issues raised in cases such as the Superleague, ISU and Royal Antwerp, as well as in past cases, often require a regulatory follow up and implementation that courts are unfit to undertake. The Court Judgments highlight systemic flaws in the governance of sports that require a public framework regulating both the scope and nature of the powers of transnational sports organisations and ensure the democratic scrutiny and accountability of their regulatory powers. This can only be properly addressed at the political level. That should have been clear by now. Let’s hope that the Superleague, ISU and Royal Antwerp judgments will make it so.