Sports Law, Policy & Diplomacy Journal (SLPD Journal) is aimed at researchers and practitioners and is dedicated to publishing articles that contribute to theoretical, methodological, and empirical knowledge in the complex field of law, public policy, and diplomacy in the sports system, as well as in other areas of social science focused on sports. Articles may be based on both quantitative and qualitative analyses; they may synthesise previous research; and they may discuss open questions in specific areas of the social sciences. The journal welcomes contributions that focus on different levels of analysis (from individual cases to small or large samples) and contexts (international, supranational, regional, and national levels; in the fields of law, political science, and diplomacy in sport). Each issue may also include an extensive section of book and projects reviews or events (conferences, seminars, summer/winter schools, etc.). The Journal collaborates with the Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union "Sport&EU" and one number of the journal is dedicated to papers presented at the Sport&EU annual conferences. The SLPD journal operates on the Diamond Open Access model, which means that there are no fees for authors,no fees to access the published papers, and authors retain copyright. The journal is published twice a year (1st number: until September and 2nd number: until December). Indexed in: - SURF (German Federal Institute of Sport Science - Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft) database - Idrottsforum.org (Malmö University, Sweden) - HRČAK (Portal of Croatian Scientific and professional journals) - HeinOnline.org - ERIHPLUS (index containing bibliographic information on academic journals in the humanities and social sciences (SSH)
Copyright (c) 2025 Vanja Smokvina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
SOCIAL ANALYSIS IN THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF SPORT
The range of sport-related topics that become news has considerably expanded over the past few decades, including a notable increase in the coverage of off-field subjects. Yet media coverage tends to focus on a small number of topics, few when compared to the variety of sport-related matters worth attention. The paper explores whether the press coverage of sports reflects the full extent of the sporting phenomenon. More specifically, it assesses the place for social analysis in the media coverage of sport. Sport impacts society in multiple ways. How frequently and in what ways are these impacts covered by the media? A new taxonomy of 21 topics and 131 subtopics of social relevance to media sport was developed for the purposes of this investigation. The new taxonomy, intended for use to examine any type of media, was tested on a sample of Italian print newspapers. Data on the coverage of the social dimension of sport were collected, using the new taxonomy, through the content analysis of 6,501 newspaper pages from five different artificial timeframes and a combined period of 28 days, spanning from September 2018 to April 2020. The sample included both general-interest and sports newspapers, allowing for the additional analysis of coverage differences based on the type of press. Although the importance of the research endeavour was on defining the tool (taxonomy) rather than the results of the test, the analysis of the selected corpus yielded preliminary findings worth sharing on how news media cover the social aspects of sport. The newly developed taxonomy, or matrix, lays the foundations for further research in various directions, including examining the social analysis of sport in digital and audiovisual media, non-daily news reporting, long-form journalism, the local press, citizen journalism, and other journalistic ecosystems.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rosarita Cuccoli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
SPORT FACILITIES AS DRIVERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGACY AND SUSTAINABILITY
As is known, the European Union plays an active part in defining the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Through the 2019 Green Deal, it assigns primary importance to environmental protection, placing sustainability among the pillars of the 2019-2024 and 2021-2027, gathering initiatives on climate change, energy production from renewable sources and transitioning to a zero-emission economy. A crucial role within these objectives shall be attributed to the EPBD. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275) entered into force in all EU countries on 28 May 2024 with the goal to increase the rate of renovation in the EU, particularly for the worst-performing buildings in each country. Among the different categories of buildings, sport facilities must be taken into consideration. The EPBD includes sports facilities as part of the buildings covered by its regulations, aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This research will analyse these issues. Beginning with the bad practice example set by Italy, it will focus on the long-term infrastructure impact, community engagement, and resource management. These three themes will form the core of the research, examined at the EU level and internationally. From an international perspective, particular attention will be given to the Kazan Action Plan and its aim to link sport policy development to the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. Throughout the research, the conclusion will assess whether the final result of a real environmental legacy can be achieved through better regulation and harmonisation or by extending existing rules on sports facilities. The aim is to explore and better define the importance of regulating the so-called post event use.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pierludovico Arnese https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS POLICY INTHE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA
In the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, physical culture was an integral part of cultural and social policies, dominantly structured, planned, and implemented by the public sector and closely aligned with the sports movement. With the decline of former Yugoslavia and the self-management system, North Macedonia aimed to develop a more autonomous sports system, transitioning from the interventionist model of organizing and financing sports (a model found in most post-socialist social systems) to a non-interventionist model (a model found in the classic capitalist social systems of Great Britain and the United States of America). This was perceived as an excellent opportunity for redefinition and improvement in all its segments: games, results, structure, and management. That said, this paper aims to provide an overview of the key phases of sports policy development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ivan Anastasovski, Marko Begović, Lazar Nanev https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THEORETICAL OVERVIEW OF SPORTS LAW WITH EMPHASIS ONSPECIFIC ROMAN LAW PROVISIONS
This work aims to elaborate on examples of legal provisions regarding sport activities in ancient Rome, due to the scarcity of literature in this domain. The analysis is focused on various institutes related to sports activities, liability, gambling, and privileges of athletes (reparatio damni, culpa, pecunium ludere, excusationes voluntariae) found in Justinian’s Digest and the Codex. Provisions from Byzantine legal sources, including the Codex Theodosianus, are also examined. A comparison between the quod bonum et aequum principle and the contemporary fair play is included. The applied methods include normative, comparative, and historical. Several conclusions are articulated concerning the importance of the Roman law framework for modern sports law challenges within the European legal context.
Copyright (c) 2025 Goce Naumovski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A REVIEW OF DOPING IN SPORTS: INDIA AND THE WORLD
Doping is a critical facet within the realm of competitive sports that have garnered substantial attention from athletes, researchers, and sports organizations alike. This research paper delves into the intricate relationship between doping and sports injuries, examining the legal and ethical challenges arising from their interplay. The objective is to critically analyze the multifaceted dimensions of this complex issue and provide insights into potential legal frameworks and ethical considerations. The paper begins by briefly exploring the prevalence and consequences of sports injuries, highlighting their impact on athletes' physical well-being, career prospects, and overall societal perception of sports. It further investigates the factors contributing to these injuries, including the role of intense competition, inadequate safety measures, and technological advancements that push athletes to their limits. Next, the paper shifts its focus to doping in sports, investigating the various forms of performance-enhancing substances and methods employed by athletes. It examines the ethical implications of doping, such as the unfair advantage it creates, potential harm to athletes' health, and the erosion of the fundamental principles of fair play and sportsmanship. The research then delves into the existing legal framework governing sports injuries and doping. It critically analyzes international regulations and national laws, emphasizing the challenges faced in effectively enforcing anti-doping measures and ensuring athlete safety. Moreover, it explores the role of sports governing bodies, athletes' unions, and the judiciary in addressing these issues. Furthermore, the paper highlights key cases and legal disputes related to sports injuries and doping, discussing their implications for athletes, sports organizations, and legal systems. It examines the principles of liability and accountability, considering the responsibilities of athletes, coaches, medical personnel, and sports authorities in preventing injuries and curbing doping practices. Lastly, the research paper provides recommendations to address the legal and ethical challenges posed by sports injuries and doping. It proposes potential strategies to strengthen anti-doping measures, enhance athlete safety, and strike a balance between fair competition and protecting athletes' health. By examining the existing legal framework and proposing practical recommendations, it aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on safeguarding the integrity of sports while prioritizing athlete’s well-being.
Copyright (c) 2025 Atul Pal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Copyright (c) 2024 Vanja Smokvina; Richard Parrish, Borja Garcia Garcia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE MACCABIAH AS A NEW SPORTS DIPLOMACY INSTRUMENT
This article examines the Maccabiah Games as a unique case study of new sports diplomacy, analyzing how this non-state sporting event functions as a significant soft power resource for Israel, while operating largely independently of state control and financing. Through analysis of historical documents, legislative frameworks, and policy decisions, we investigate the complex relationship between the Israeli state and the Maccabiah Games, which has evolved since its inception in 1932. We argue that while the Games serve as Israel’s primary sporting diplomatic vehicle and enhance its international image, they operate primarily through private and civic networks rather than state direction or consistent financial support. This creates an interesting paradox: the Games’ independence from state control allows the sports community to maintain autonomy in pursuing its goals, yet this same independence results in minimal state investment, shifting the financial burden onto participants and the Jewish sports community. Despite the Games’ significance in promoting Jewish immigration and strengthening ties with the diaspora, Israel lacks a coherent legal framework or consistent funding mechanism for this quadrennial Olympic competition. While state officials regularly participate in ceremonial aspects and leverage the Games for public diplomacy, concrete institutional support remains limited. This situation reflects both Israel’s broader underinvestment in sports infrastructure and its tendency to prioritize hard power over soft power resources. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of new sports diplomacy by demonstrating how non-state actors can successfully operate major international sporting events that serve national diplomatic purposes, even without substantial state support. The Maccabiah case illustrates the evolving nature of sports diplomacy, where traditional state-centered approaches are increasingly complemented or replaced by more independent, community-driven initiatives that nonetheless advance national soft power objectives.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sophia Solomon, Sharon Pardo, Hila Zahavi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The article provides an overview of the development of the sport ecosystem and sport-related policies in Romania. It represents the first venture to understand dynamics associated with historical evolution, and despite Romania’s EU membership, it struggles to implement numerous needed reforms resulting in stagnation rooted in institutional memory. Following the presentation of historical development, the paper is structured to describe major institutional actors, including those from the public sector and sport movement, as well as their interrelationship including the major trends discussed. The added value of this paper represents a collaborative partnership incorporating both insider and outsider perspectives to offer a comprehensive understanding and presentation of the development of sport policy in Romania. In conclusion, Romanian sports remain strongly shaped by the strong institutional memory developed during the communist era.
Copyright (c) 2024 Andrei Antonie, Marko Begovic, Simona Petracovschi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION’S WOMEN’S FOOTBALL DIPLOMACY PROJECT WITH IRAQ: INSPIRING EVERY GIRL IN IRAQ TO PLAY FOOTBALL
This article examines the French Football Federation’s women’s football diplomacy initiative with Iraq as an example of a type of integrative sports diplomacy that empowers the sports world, and those they serve, in new ways. The effort, driven by a non-state sporting actor with support from the French state via its Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs’ sports diplomacy approach, demonstrated sports diplomacy’s short-term “wins” like changing people’s minds, cultural engagement, and sharing technical expertise through sports, creating the possibility of new opportunities, and offering different incentives for the sports world to engage.
Copyright (c) 2024 Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, Daniel G. Kelly II https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
PLACING ATHLETE RIGHTS AT THE HEART OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IN SPORT: LEVERAGING IDEATIONAL POWER, DEMOCRATISING GOVERNANCE
“Good governance” and “athlete rights” are two central ideas in today’s governance of sport. A multitude of actors from different horizontal and vertical governance levels shape the discourse surrounding these ideas. Following Vivien Schmidt’s seminal work on discursive institutionalism, we analyse the ideational power of the two ideas and the characteristics of their underlying discourses within the context of international sport governance. Our analysis highlights that several similarities between the ideas and their related discourses prevail. Yet, the two discourses exist, for most parts, separately with no systematic conceptual connection between the two ideas. Informed by an analysis of academic literature and policy documents within and beyond the area of sport governance, we argue that this is a conceptual shortcoming, which fails to capitalise on the power resting in each idea and, more importantly, in their combination. We suggest that a systematic merger of the two discourses in terms of the adoption of a rights-based approach to good governance may not only democratise the good governance discourse and better justify its widespread normative notion, but that it may also enhance the ideational power of athlete rights and, in practice, become a key to rights implementation for the benefit of athletes.
Copyright (c) 2024 Maximilian Seltmann, Lorenz Fiege https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
DISTRIBUTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE AUTONOMY OF SPORTS IN THE EGYPTIAN LEGAL SYSTEM
This paper presents a descriptive and analytical examination of the elements of sports independence in the Egyptian legal system. It includes the texts of legal articles that address the elements of sports independence, such as the competence of general assemblies of sports bodies to set their regulations, texts ensuring non-interference of government agencies in the affairs of sports bodies (except for what relates to governance, financial corruption, and crimes), and texts resorting to sports arbitration rather than the state judiciary. Furthermore, the paper also focuses on articles of the unified financial regulations that were issued to implement the elements of sports bodies’ governance in the absence of these elements in sports law. The analysis includes rulings of various judicial bodies in the Egyptian system by presenting landmark decisions in selected cases. The analysis of rulings issued by the Egyptian State Council (Administrative Judiciary), the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation, as well as the rulings of the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court is introduced. It comprises a ruling on the unconstitutionality of part of Article 69 of the Sports Law related to the Egyptian Olympic Committee setting the regulatory frameworks for the Egyptian Sports Settlement and Arbitration Center, leading to the fall of the center’s regulatory frameworks. Additionally, the ruling of the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court on a jurisdictional conflict is discussed including the previous ruling on the unconstitutionality of the text (Article 69) deeming the Sports Arbitration Center non-existent and calling for a legislative amendment to resolve the matter.
Position of the Egyptian judiciary on sports arbitration
Copyright (c) 2024 Ahmed Saad Mohamed Hussein https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Copyright (c) 2024 Vanja Smokvina, Borja Garcia Garcia, Richard Parrish https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
‘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.
Copyright (c) 2024 Guillermo Íñiguez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
REFUGEES IN EUROPEAN GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL: FROM ASSUMPTIONS TO EVIDENCE
Since 2015-2016, when the European continent underwent an unprecedented peak in demands for asylum, grassroots football clubs have been at the forefront in offering refugees a place of first contact with their new host society. The perception of the impact that their initiatives may have had on their target population is however almost exclusively based on some widely shared basic assumptions drawn from anecdotal evidence and, marginally, on a small body of literature grounded in local studies of ethnographic nature. The article recapitulates the inception and implementation of an original mixed-method research survey within the framework of two successive practice-oriented projects led by civil society actors and supported by the ERASMUS+ Sport funding scheme. Following a literature review, it describes the survey design, analyses the findings, and discusses the added value and limits of this research focused on the principal target group of volunteers in European grassroots football.
Copyright (c) 2024 Albrecht Sonntag, Derya Göçer, Özgehan Şenyuva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
CHILDREN AND SPORTS: THE RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN PLAY AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Every child has the right to play. Sports, therefore, play a valuable role in children’s development and growth. Starting from Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, numerous other international, supranational, and national legal sources define children’s right to play sports with the purpose of developing their whole personality. Indeed, sports allow children to engage in the exercise necessary for correct psychophysical development; improve children’s social inclusion, and aim to offer equal opportunities to all children in promoting their social life. The right to engage in play and recreational activities is an important right of every child, which must be exercised taking into account the right to health, as well as the possibility to rest and the choice “not to become a champion at all costs,” likewise other important children’s rights that will be analysed in the paper. It will also reflect on the moment when recreational sports turn into competitive sports, where competitive dynamics make the appreciation of the protection of children’s rights much more complex. Considering the central role played by parents and trainers in ensuring that children practice sports in a manner most appropriate to their balanced psycho-physical development, the best interests of child will be considered in relation to the abovementioned demanding dynamics of competitive sport. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether fundamental rights are respected in sports activities involving children, trying to raise awareness of the position of minor athletes in the world of sports since they are particularly vulnerable and in need of protection.
Right to Engage in Play and Recreational Activities
Copyright (c) 2024 Sandra Winkler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
SPORT GOVERNANCE AND EU LAW: THE TIMES THEY ARE (FINALLY !) A-CHANGIN’
The Times They Are A-Changin': At last, change is a reality for sport governance in Europe, due to the resolute approach of the CJEU in recent high-profile "sport" cases. This article highlights key points from the three judgments of 21 December, 2023 and underlines some of the cardinal points of ongoing cases related to EU law applied to sport, and, particularly in sport governance. In short, through the orthodox enforcement of competition law and fundamental freedoms (and likely also fundamental rights in the near future), the CJEU imposes a strong democratic control on sports regulators. National courts - recentred of the game by the ISU ruling and guided by the Antwerp ruling - have the task of making this control fully effective. In short, no more "sports washing."
Principle of Effective Jurisdictional Protection in Sport
Copyright (c) 2024 Jean-Louis DUPONT https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS POLICY IN SLOVAKIA
The article provides the first overview of the sports ecosystem and the development of sports policy in Slovakia. It reviews how sports policy has evolved across different periods and under varying political structures. The paper is organized around specific policy areas, linking the historical overview, major sports actors, and main strategic directions into a cohesive structure. In addition, major trends and challenges are discussed. The funding scheme will be elaborated thoroughly as it represents both a complex process and a contribution to the uniqueness of the sports ecosystem in Slovakia. The concluding remarks indicate a lack of coordination at the horizontal level within the public sector and in efforts to coordinate with the sub-national level in utilizing available resources for the development of sports in Slovakia.
Copyright (c) 2024 Michal Varmus, Marko Begovic, Martin Mičiak, Michal Šarlák, Milan Kubina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A COMPARISON OF ESPORTS INTEGRITY POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO THOSE OF TRADITIONAL SPORTS
The esports landscape is quite different from traditional sports. However, both aim to protect the integrity of their sports and have put integrity policies and programs in place. This article analyses integrity policies and programs in esports and draws a comparison to traditional sports to the extent possible. In this respect, competition manipulation and doping have been identified as the most comparable integrity threats.
Copyright (c) 2024 Erika Riedl https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Copyright (c) 2023 Vanja Smokvina; Borja Garcia Garcia, Richard Parrish https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
REFLECTIONS ON THE 2023 SPORT&EU ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Copyright (c) 2023 Borja Garcia Garcia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE EUROPEAN SPORT MODEL: A MODEL TO DEFEND
The contradictory positions taken by the European institutions on the European Sport Model have demonstrated the difficulty of understanding such a model for decades. The existing conflicting situations show that the specificity of sport is struggling to play its role in protecting European sport. It, therefore, seems legitimate to ask the question of how to defend the European sport model, especially in the context of heterogeneous legislation and organisational models for sports within European countries. The aim of the article is, above all, to demonstrate that the European model emanates from a vision based on fundamental values that must take sport beyond the mere consideration of economic activity. As such, one of the challenges lies in maintaining the interactions between the different levels of the pyramid.
Copyright (c) 2023 Jean-François Brocard, Alaphillipe Nathalie https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS), PROCEDURAL JUSTICE, AND ATHLETES’ APPEALS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
The kinetic energy that goes into sports competition is healthy and dynamic and should promote goodwill between nations. There is a presumption that sports politics impinges on the judgments of the sports adjudicating body, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), in determining appeals in their rulings on the validity of results in international sports competitions. The CAS system for arbitration has rules that follow the lex loci arbitri and its procedures conform to the Swiss Private International law in appeals to the Swiss Federal Tribunal for athletes. The jurisdiction of CAS has to conform to the principles of natural justice when appeals from athletes who have disputes with international sports federations are brought to its attention. This is of particular concern when the national federations of developing countries are involved in sanctioning or supporting athletes who have encountered discrimination. The research question in this paper is whether the CAS exercised procedural justice when the adjudication process involved athletes who had been banned from competition and if the rulings were in accordance with fairness and impartiality. The recourse to the European Court of Human Rights, Article 6.1, has been in sharp focus and the judgments of the court on public hearings and the role of quasi-tribunals need to be structured in accordance with natural justice. This paper argues that the CAS process should increase the scope of procedural justice by granting a fair hearing and by being seen as bias free.
Copyright (c) 2023 Zia Akhtar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
AWARENESS OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS AS DRIVERS OF SPORT INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS′ EXPECTATIONS IN ZIMBABWE
Despite the proliferation of free trade agreements worldwide, few studies have examined how the supposed benefits of the agreements are interpreted, understood, and applied by those operating in the sport industry. In light of the recently operationalized African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement and in response to a glaring lack of research into the sport industry’s expectations arising from this Agreement, the present study analysed whether the awareness of the AfCFTA socio-economic benefits can be considered drivers of sports industry stakeholders’ expectations in Zimbabwe. Data analysis deployed descriptive statistical processes with tests for correlation to determine the relationship between the awareness of social and economic benefits of the AfCFTA on the expectations of the sport industry stakeholders. Consequently, the social benefits played a significant relative role when accounting for the stakeholders’ expectations compared to the economic benefits. The study provides insight into how the sport industry in Zimbabwe can take advantage of foreseen or unforeseen developments within its external environment, such as the AfCFTA, whose transversal benefits cut across the sport industry and can address both the country′s and its sport industry's present challenges.
Copyright (c) 2023 Webster Tinashe Chakawata, Franz Ufuomanefe Atare, Bukola O. Ochei https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
EU NORMATIVE ACTORNESS IN SPORT: AN IDEA(L) WHOSE TIME HAS COME?
Research on the European Union in the fields of international relations and European studies has all too often been skewered towards two important axes of debate which have been running relatively independently of each other: the study of the European Union (EU) as a normative power (NPE) and the study of EU actorness. This paper sets out to demonstrate the conceptual applicability of an integrated EU actorness-NPE perspective for understanding the EU’s unique identity. To build on this conceptual linkage, the article utilizes as its unit of analysis, the EU’s area of sport policy, before going onto frame it within the NPE-actorness debates when assessing the identity of the EU in international sport. Two central questions drive the study: (1) is the EU a normative actor in the manner espoused by Ian Manners when looking at sport and (2) if it is a normative actor, does it conform to the traditional characteristics of EU actorness that characterizes Jupille and Caporaso’s EU actorness thesis. It makes use of document reviews pertaining to EU sport during the period between 2009 – 2022 along with meta-theoretical content analysis. Findings show that the EU is a normative actor through the sport regulation, sport diplomacy, and competition law tracks, whereas it scores highly when looking at the actorness thesis. By showcasing that the EU actorness thesis and EU normative power concepts are complementary, this analysis contributes to the mainstream EU literature and not least by coupling sport as the prism of appraisal, a novel agenda focusing on EU sport policy and its interaction with other EU literature grounded in the political sciences is left to more meaningfully crystalise.
Copyright (c) 2023 Webster Tinasche Chakawata https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE EVOLUTION OF GENDER REPRESENTATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING POSITIONS OF SPORT GOVERNING BODIES IN SWITZERLAND
This contribution addresses the issue of women’s underrepresentation in the decision-making positions of sports organisations with a quantitative descriptive analysis. Building on the results of national and international benchmark studies and a review on measures to improve gender representation, we (a) analyse the evolution of women’s representation in decision-making positions of national sport governing bodies in Switzerland over a 10-year period (2012-2021) and (b) compare the observed evolution with the implementation of hard and soft measures. Our findings show a fluctuation of women’s representation but no clear evidence of a positive and increasing evolution during the investigated period. We also observe that the level of women’s representation compared to men remains low whereas measures have been implemented. We discuss our results with a potential "anticipatory obedience” effect that is detected in the last years of investigation after the announcement of a legally binding target by the federal government and, building on literature, anticipate an increasing positive effect of the measure after its enforcement in 2024. To conclude, our study supports evidence in literature that the implementation of hard measures can contribute to a positive evolution in gender representation in the decision-making positions of sport organisations but still needs more current data to confirm evidence from other countries.
Copyright (c) 2023 Corinne Zurmühle, Michaël Mrkonjic, Andreas Christoph Weber https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
PROJECT SUMMARY: ERASMUS+ EMPLOYS “UNDERSTANDING, EVALUATING AND IMPROVING GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS OF ATHLETES IN OLYMPIC SPORTS IN EUROPE”
Copyright (c) 2023 Maximilian Seltmann, Sönke Schadwinkel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Conference on the economic and legal aspects of the organisation of football in Europe
Copyright (c) 2023 Vanja Smokvina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Copyright (c) 2023 Vanja Smokvina, Richard Parrish, Borja Garcia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0