Sport Governance Research Articles

Street-level coaches and the question of ‘semi-professionalized’ volunteers in Swedish youth football: a Lipskian case study

Coaches in youth sport stand as crucial actors in the implementation of policies and rights. But there are expectations, stresses, and pressures on the coaches from parents, the culture, sport governance, local organizations, as well as the children, that work implicitly or explicitly, either as supports or obstructions. Thus, the vital aim of this article is to present and discuss the dilemmas in acting as a coach in youth football, at a minor level – at a ‘street-level’, Hence, Michael Lipsky’s study on several professions (in service and welfare) and, especially, his thesis on ‘street-level bureaucracy’ stands basically as the important influence in the design, presentation and final discussion and statements. The article is grounded in an empirical study, labelled as FC Countryside, which embodies and exemplifies a large number of Swedish football clubs in the lower divisions. These coaches in youth sports are regularly recruited and engaged as volunteers. Despite this position, due to sport policies, demands on skills and knowledge and the implementation of rights, they are subject to an increasing professionalization process of football in general. The discussion, due to the empirical findings, present the coaches as semi-professionals, and as ‘street-level coaches’, in the perspectives of Lipsky.

Interlinking financial stability regulation and governance in German professional soccer: contribution and implications

IntroductionThis study explores the integration of financial stability regulation in professional soccer within the framework of sport governance, focusing on the German context. The research examines how financial regulations influence key governance principles such as accountability, transparency, and sustainability, while also addressing the challenges posed by the dynamic nature of professional soccer.MethodsA qualitative methodology was employed, using focus group discussions with nine experts, including representatives from soccer clubs, auditing firms and other relevant stakeholders. The discussions aimed to capture diverse perspectives on the impact of financial stability regulation on governance practices within the German soccer league and clubs.ResultsThe findings reveal that financial stability regulation is effective in promoting financial discipline and accountability at both league and club levels. However, the study also identifies challenges, such as the need for greater harmonization of regulatory frameworks across different levels of professional soccer and the potential benefits of implementing incentive mechanisms within the financial stability regulation to improve governance at the league and club levels.DiscussionThe study underscores the importance of a multi-dimensional approach to financial stability regulation, considering political, systemic, and organizational dimensions. It highlights the potential for improving governance through the adoption of independent governance models and more practical applications of governance principles. Future research could further explore these areas, offering insights that could enhance the effectiveness of financial regulation in professional soccer and potentially other sport contexts.

Examining the impact of organizational and management variables on sport service delivery in Ethiopia

There is an observed general low performance of Ethiopian Sport Governing Bodies (SGBs) in service delivery. Evidence shows that the trend can be corrected with proper understanding and insight into the process of organizational and management factors of these SGBs. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of organizational and management factors as determinants in effective service delivery in SGBs. For this study, a cross-sectional research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to choose 350 samples from 154 internal and 196 external stakeholders. The instruments used for the study were the key informant interview and the questionnaire. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and multiple regression were used to analyze the data at the 0.05 significant level while qualitative data were content analyzed. The findings confirmed that organizational and management factor variables had a significant positive relationship with sport service delivery (organizational structure (r=0.515), organizational capabilities (r=0.701), communication (r=0.549), management practice (r=0.571), materials & resources (r=0.527) and stakeholders satisfaction (r=0.742). Management factors jointly predicted effective sport service delivery (F (3, 329)= 165.868, R2= 0.612); organizational factors had a joint significant contribution to effective sport service delivery (F(3, 329) = 148.743, R2= 0.576). Further, organizational and management factor variables had a joint relative significant influence on effective sport service delivery in Ethiopian SGBs (F (6, 326) =130.81, R2= 0.707). Interviews revealed that there are weak relations with stakeholders, an unaligned structure of regional sport bodies with federal bodies, and managers with improper experience and knowledge in sport which influences effective sport service delivery in Ethiopian SGBs. Therefore, working together with stakeholders, structural advancement, designing rules and regulations that can serve a longer time, taking correction based on feedback from stakeholders, networked structures and collaborations with local sports organizations as means of improving service delivery employing shared burden and coordinated effort are recommended. Keywords: Management, Organization, Service delivery, Sport governing bodies

Latvian Sports Regulation in Transition: Navigating Historical Evolution and Contemporary Development Trends

This comprehensive analysis delves into the intricate realm of sports law and policies in Latvia, exploring the historical evolution, administrative framework, and policy landscapes that shape the country's sports sector. The text highlights Latvia's transition from the Centralized Soviet Model to a more autonomous sports system post-independence, reflecting the nation's historical context and pursuit of sporting excellence. It examines the interaction between EU regulations and internal sports governance, emphasizing the balance between market-regulating rules and legitimate sports governance. The study also discusses recent legislative amendments in response to geopolitical events that has shaken the Eastern Europe, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, showcasing Latvia's proactive approach to safeguarding national interests and ethical standards in sports. Furthermore, insights into the implementation of National Anti-Doping Regulations underscore Latvia's commitment to maintaining integrity in sports. The administrative framework involving various stakeholders, including governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, is analysed to provide a holistic view of sports policy planning and stakeholder engagement in Latvia. Overall, this research sheds light on the evolving landscape of sports law in Latvia and the country's efforts to promote athletic development, fair play, and good governance in sports. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors and forces shaping the sports sector in the country. Keywords: sports law and geopolitics, sports governance, sports policies, EU sports law, Latvia

Karang Taruna's Role in Youth Empowerment Through Sports and Skill Training Programs

Background: Youth empowerment is vital for community progress, often facilitated by organizations like Karang Taruna. Specific Background: In Kalipecabean Village, Karang Taruna actively engages in youth activities, but its impact on empowerment remains unclear. Knowledge Gap: Limited studies focus on the role of Karang Taruna in this village. Aims: This study examines how Karang Taruna functions as a motivator, facilitator, and mobilizer in youth empowerment. Results: A qualitative analysis revealed that Karang Taruna conducts various activities, including sports competitions, training programs, and government collaboration, enhancing youth participation. However, challenges such as resource limitations and inconsistent engagement remain. Novelty: This study provides specific insights into Karang Taruna's multifaceted role in a village setting. Implications: Strengthening partnerships and diversifying programs could enhance the organization’s impact on community development. Highlights: Karang Taruna acts as a motivator by organizing activities to enhance youth participation. Collaboration with local government enables Karang Taruna to function effectively as a facilitator. Use of technology, like WhatsApp, assists Karang Taruna in its role as a mobilizer to engage youth in positive community activities. Keywords: Youth Empowerment, Youth Organization, Karang Taruna, Community Development, Facilitator

Dual career in the workplace: co-creation of a conceptual framework by employers and employee-sportspersons incorporating corporate social responsibility and brand alignment.

The purpose of this study was to provide an evidence base and conceptual framework to inform new guidelines for achieving a balance between sports and employment commitments (i.e., dual career, DC) of the employee-sportspersons. To shape a DC discourse in the workplace, the distinct and combined views of the employee-sportspersons (i.e., the Employee), the managers (i.e., the Employer) were considered. Following a concept mapping methodology, 257 international participants (25% employers and 75% employee-sportspersons) sorted and rated 50 potential statements associated with DC circumstances and supports in the workplace. Six distinct clusters emerged, with the combined employers-employee co-creation scenario assigning 6 statements to the micro dimension (Cluster 1 = Workplace Benefits), 4 statements to the meso dimension (Cluster 2 = Role of National Sports Governing Bodies), 19 statements to the macro dimension (Cluster 3 = Dual Career Policy Development), 4 and 5 statements to the organizational dimensions (Cluster 4 = Employee-Employer Collaboration and Responsibility; Cluster 5 = Sport Career Integration), and 12 statements to the policy (Cluster 6 = Workplace Strategies for Dual Career Support) dimension. With respect to the employers, the employee-sportspersons showed higher scores (p < 0.05) for importance of clusters 2, 4, and 6, and for feasibility of clusters 2 and 6. These findings suggest priorities for changes within the DC dimensions identified, and envisage flexible models for aligning corporate brand values and corporate social responsibility strategies through meaningful and proactive DC support of the employee-sportspersons in the workplace. The findings provide a rigorously derived evidence base to inform the formulation of new DC workplace guidelines.

Factors affecting individual sports consumption motivation towards sports consumption behavior: A bibliometric analysis

The purpose of this research is to present a bibliometric analysis of the literature on the ways in which the motivations of individual sports consumers impact the creation of sports infrastructure and the creation of sports-related policy. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the PRISMA approach and information gleaned from the Scopus database, 2605 publications were found to be pertinent to the subject. We conducted a literature analysis of trends and patterns using VOSviewer-based knowledge mapping. Findings: Recent years have seen a proliferation of scholarly publications on the topic of individual sports consumption motivation and its influence on policy formulation and infrastructure development. This suggests that interest in this field is expanding. The list of eminent journals, decision-makers, and organizations involved in this issue demonstrates its global influence. The interdisciplinary nature of the subject is reflected in the study’s emphasis on the most widely published authors and key research terminology. Originality/value: This study closes significant knowledge gaps regarding the complex interactions between societal, environmental, and individual factors that affect the motivation to consume sports and how these motivations influence decisions about sports infrastructure and policies. It does this by using bibliometric techniques and the most recent data. The project aims to create a more thorough picture of how public health policy, sports governance, and urban planning are impacted by the motivations behind sports consumption. Policy implications: Policymakers, planners, and sports organizations can use the results to generate more targeted and effective strategies for the development of sports infrastructure and policy formulation. The study highlights how important it is to make well-informed policy decisions and participate in customized involvement in order to improve public welfare and the overall sports consumer experience.

Reconceptualising informality in sport participation: Towards understanding (in)formalisation of sport governance

Reconceptualising informality in sport participation: Towards understanding (in)formalisation of sport governance

Assessing the perceived importance and difficulty of implementing good governance principles in national sport federations

ABSTRACT Research Questions Little is known about how organizational actors who have assumed the responsibility of implementing good governance principles perceive their task. The study attempted to fill this gap by posing two interrelated questions: Do these organizational actors perceive codified governance principles as being important for raising the governance standards in their organizations? Do they consider these codified governance principles a difficult undertaking to exercise? Methodology Underpinned by the tenets of the institutional perspective, the study draws on goal-setting theory to measure the perceived importance and difficulty of implementing good governance within national sport federations. It employed a quantitative research design, collecting 268 responses from board members and paid staff from 26 European countries. Data were treated with IBM SPSS 28, while the principles were tested for internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Findings While transparency, accountability, and democratic processes were important and relatively easy to implement, social responsibility was considered the most important principle. Paid staff perceived implementing these principles as significantly less difficult than board members. The principles perceived as more important are easier to implement than those perceived as less important. There is a consensus that the four examined principles constitute an important set of governance proxies that are not difficult to implement. Contributions The study moves away from the ‘governance debate’ and focuses on what sport governance looks like in practice. It does so by going beyond single cases that illustrate how political governance (through codification) influences organizational governance by examining the perceptions of organizational actors from several European countries.

The Montenegrin Olympic Committee: exploring issues in Sports Governance

ABSTRACT The recent doping scandal in Montenegro waterpolo team during the World Aquatics Championships in Qatar this year, yet again opened the debate on a number of sports-related governance issues. The foundation of these challenges lies in the very essence of how the sports ecosystem is structured, organized, and operated. The major outputs of the contemporary studies confirmed that the politicization of relations within the sports ecosystem plays a principal role, in shaping, directing, and utilizing sports for non-sporting objectives. The results indicate that this constellation has been facilitated through the transformation of informal practices into regulatory regimes or bypassing, when needed, existing legislative frameworks in order to contribute to institutional stability. The politicization represents a joint determinant of the closed, vertically structured governing bodies and decision-making system with long-lasting individuals in decision-making positions without any internal or external control in practice. The internal regulations facilitate no restrictions on conflicts of interest, measures aimed to tackle corruption, or to provide a check and balance system between governing bodies. Furthermore, following the public service culture, the Montenegro Olympic Committee maintains its closed and exclusive composition of governing bodies rests on discretionary power and a decision-making approach with a democratic deficit.

Upholding human rights in mega sports: A study of governance practices within the IOC and FIFA through the lens of the Ruggie Principle

The human rights and mega sport events (SMEs) discourses gain massive importance and have grown immensely in recent years. Most of the time, the sports governance bodies are responsible for administration and management of these sport mega events. Keeping in consideration the situation regarding increasing involvement, the study focuses on the field of sport along with pleasure and basic rights. Through re-evaluation the commercial factors of sports, the mega governing bodies of sport (IOC & FIFA), and researchers discuss what is referred to commonly as Ruggie Principle, and both would be applied to IOC & FIFA practices, operation, and management regarding their events. This study is essential as it emphasizes the contribution and importance of carrying out human rights impact assessments, particularly in the context of hosting rights. The survey's findings reveal that human rights and due diligence assessments are integral components of organizations such as FIFA and the IOC. This study, being an empirical investigation, allowed us to arrive at some normative conclusions that had significant implications for practices and policy issues. Additionally, it laid the groundwork for future research in the crucial area of SMEs globally.

Institutional Innovations in Sports Governance: A Guizhou Perspective

Institutional Innovations in Sports Governance: A Guizhou Perspective

Football administration in post-colonial Africa: transposing political neutrality into the regulation and governance of sport

Football administration in post-colonial Africa: transposing political neutrality into the regulation and governance of sport

Mapping the Scientific Research on Sport Governance: Insights from Bibliometric Analysis

The current study aims to highlight the current trends in the literature on sport governance by applying a bibliometric review of papers on sport governance topics published in the Web of Science database. This study reviews 230 Web of Science-indexed journal articles on sport governance and analyzed the data using bibliometric analytic tools such as thematic mapping and co-citation analysis. The findings reveal a notable increase in research on sport governance over time. Over the past three decades, diverse topics within sport governance have been explored, with a significant emphasis on national sport organizations, corruption, gender, leadership, volunteer boards, and collaborative governance. The study identifies gender dynamics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as emerging key research areas. The results not only contribute to our understanding of current sport governance literature but also point towards potential future research directions. These include the development of a comprehensive framework, exploration of outcome-related governance principles, and the application of governance principles to local and non-European sport organizations and systems.

Improving the Implementation of Sport Governance with an Analysis of Its Determinants: The Case of Sport National Governing Bodies in Switzerland

This research investigates new empirical routes to improve the implementation of sport governance by sports organizations. It asks the question: what determinants influence the decision of sport national governing bodies in Switzerland to implement sport governance? It builds on implementation deficits highlighted by benchmark analysis, an exploratory literature review and a description of the non-profit sector. This paper invites a reflection on the challenges and difficulties related to sport governance standards. The method builds on an exploratory, inductive and qualitative research design. The data comprise interviews with 10 decision makers of national sport federations and the national umbrella federation of sport and Olympic committee analyzed by theme-based coding. The analysis highlights five meta-themes associated with determinants: (1) strategic priority, (2) decision makers’ knowledge on the concept of sport governance, (3) sport governance issues, (4) resources, and (5) personal attributes of decision makers. The results and findings indicate that improving the implementation of sport governance is a multidimensional issue that mainly involves organizational and individual elements, and calls for a tiered approach rather than a “one size-fits all” approach.

Youth representatives as agents of institutional change: the circumscribing effects of role prescriptions in sport governance

ABSTRACT Conceptualising the youth representative as an institutional role, we explore the institutional shaping of youth representatives as change agents in the governance of sport organisations. Focusing on how these shaping conditions who the youth representative can be and what determines the scope of their role fulfilment, including the impact of their work on established institutional orders, allows us to examine the shaping of agency related to governance institutions. Data is drawn from a questionnaire centred on the experiences of young people in sport governance (n = 32) and semi-structured interviews with 10 representatives of organisations affiliated with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederations of Sports. The role of the youth representatives is scripted in terms of who the representatives ought to be and what they ought to do. The scripting associated with the operationalisation of this ambition into role pre- and proscriptions stands in stark contrast to the ideal of youth representatives as agents of institutional change. Our study of the scripting of institutional roles has theoretical implications because it shows how normative typifications that link notions of actors with actorhood circumscribe institutional work pertaining to change.

Marketisation, ownership and digitalisation strategies in the sport industry – generic insights and future research

PurposeThe motivation for this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of some of the important and trending topics in the sport industry. Besides this, to consider the changing landscape of ownership, strategies and organisation of several types of sports in the contemporary environment, there is a need for deeper contextual knowledge of how different sport/s, leagues, clubs, associations, teams etc. own, organise and strategise at local to national to regional to international contexts.Design/methodology/approachThis paper introduces the special issue on the sport industry that welcomes three interesting contributions of focusing on the important themes related to the sport industry. They include (1) digital transformation and needed capabilities, (2) fan engagement in a digital way using social media and finally (3) the relevance and relation of social capital in the organisational strategy of sports organisations.FindingsFour generic insights related to the themes and emerging trends in marketisation, ownership and digitalisation strategies in the sport industry are introduced in this paper. The first insight is that sports digitalisation and politicisation significantly impact the strategising, organising and networking activities of sports owners to foster value capture. Secondly, owners’ performance duality of marketisation of their sports clubs and vested business interests unravels the paradoxes of idealism and profit-maximisation. Thirdly, individual sports stars position themselves as an influential platform of value creation through on-field performance, social engagement and self-interests. Finally, the fourth insight is that the dual aims of sporting on-field success and profit making of large capital-funded sports clubs endanger the autonomy and governance of sports bodies/associations and an equitable sporting competition environment.Originality/valueThis paper provides an overview and reflections on the contributions of the papers in this special issue. The papers give different perspectives on how sport has been influenced by the development in society (1) with increasing digitalisation influencing organising of sport clubs and strategies for engaging fans, and (2) the influence of marketisation and politics in ownership strategies. As such, four insightful reflections are developed based on the originality of the contributions and the related extant literature presented on the themes of marketisation, ownership and digitalisation of the sport industry.

Structural and Cultural Othering: An Organizational Culture Perspective on Young People’s Participation in Decision-making in Sport Organizations

The purpose of this article is to examine the role played by organizational culture in young people’s continuing underrepresentation in decision-making bodies, despite structural changes, in the context of Norwegian sport organizations. Data is based on a questionnaire centred on the experiences of young people in sport governance ( n = 32 youth representatives) and semi-structured interviews with young (under 26 years) and older representatives of organizations affiliated with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederations of Sports ( n = 10). Findings show that Norwegian sport organizations foster a cultural understanding of young people which takes its structural expression in the separation of elements that are ‘othering’ the youth. Youth have also limited access to resources of power as a result of a lack of trust in older leaders. Prevailing culture mirrors an adult society in which young people need to upgrade their level of professionalism through education before they are invited to decision-making processes.

Journalistic Framing of Finnish Ice Hockey Club Jokerit in the Russian-Led Kontinental Hockey League

One of the major franchises in Finland’s top division in men’s ice hockey (Liiga), Jokerit Helsinki, sold its home arena and half of its shares to Finnish-Russian oligarchs in 2013. Jokerit also switched to the Russian-led Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and competed there from 2014 to 2022. Russia’s KHL project and its expansion to the West can be viewed as a form of soft power. This study delves into the journalistic coverage of Jokerit during two specific periods: Its early days in the KHL and its later stages when exiting the league. These periods coincide with critical geopolitical events, such as Russia’s annexation of Crimea (2014), Belarusian protests (2020–2021), and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (2022). Our data consists of Jokerit-related articles in the newspaper &lt;em&gt;Helsingin Sanomat&lt;/em&gt; as well as interviews of the journalists who followed the team closely. We explore the critical socio-political coverage of Jokerit in &lt;em&gt;Helsingin Sanomat&lt;/em&gt; during these periods and investigate whether the sports journalists recognized the broader geopolitical context of the KHL project and, if so, how this influenced their reporting. Utilizing the framing theory, we identified five frames under which to divide the articles: (a) sports events, (b) international relations, (c) power and governance, (d) business, and (e) unity. The sports event frame predominated during the early KHL era, whereas international relations and power and governance frames only emerged later. These shifts were not initiated by sports journalists but resulted from the efforts of journalists in other fields and increased the societal scrutiny of ties to Russia.

“Who Am I to Tell Them How to Coach?”—An Analysis of Coach Developers’ Professional Identity Formation

Coach developers play a critical role in the development of coaches. However, coach developers themselves remain under-researched, in particular the socially mediated process of becoming a coach developer is poorly understood. Eleven coach developers working across Regional and National Sports Governing Bodies took part in a series of interviews and in situ observations over the course of 12 months. Engaging a reflexive thematic analysis, this paper focuses on the power relations that contour the transitions into coach developer roles. Specifically, the analysis depicts an identity-making process in which power is exerted through different sites and modalities that structure and regulate coach developers’ practice and roles through shared discourses. In efforts to secure their positions and maintain legitimate identities, coach developers operated within an uncritical selective culture, which saw them wield, maintain, and enhance the power provided to them. Building on existing research, we examine the contested nature of what it means to be a coach developer, specifically showcasing the navigation of inherently unstable professional learning cultures and critiquing coach developer training. This work begins to address calls for the voices of coach developers in their research, while identifying the reproduction of a cultural orthodoxy, and the lack of effective in situ coach developer training. Implications from the research suggest that further support and development are required in the training of coach developers in situ, as well as the need for research to interrogate the language and discourse framing the role.