xg-gg-201307-dlvrbl2-sept2013

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3
EU Work Plan
for Sport
2011-
2014
Expert Group “Good Governance”
Deliverable 2
Principles of good governance in sport

XG GG – Deliverable 2: principles of good governance in sport
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INTRODUCTION
At the third meeting of the Expert Group on Good Governance (XG GG), held on 6 June 2012,
the members and observers of the Group discussed the issue of good governance principles
in sport on the basis of a document presenting national rules and codes existing in the EU
Member States. Participants agreed that some overarching principles of good governance
can be identified across the board, but that it is important to maintain flexibility and to have
a pragmatic approach, with a view to taking into account the vast differences existing in
sporting structures and to focus on recommendations that can bring an added value at EU
level.
A discussion document was subsequently prepared and discussed by the Group's members
and observers at the XG GG meeting on 13 December 2012. The document presented an
initial list of recommendations concerning good governance principles that should guide the
action of sports organisations of different sizes and nature across the EU. The following list
of good governance principles is based on the document presented at that meeting and it
incorporates changes and amendments proposed by members and observers during the
discussion.
At the meeting in December 2012, the Group agreed to postpone the adoption of deliverable
2 until mid-2013, in order to take into account the results of the projects in the field of good
governance financed through the 2011 Preparatory Actions in the field of sport. Results
from these projects do indeed usefully complement the list of recommendations by
providing evidence-based facts and data and by identifying examples of good practices in
this field. Input from the projects has been included as an annex to the list of good
governance principles.
BACKGROUND/CONTEXT
Sport has evolved dramatically in the last 20 years. At the elite level there has been a
transformation in the commercialisation of sport. Major sporting events attract millions of
viewers, hundreds of thousands of spectators and generate significant revenues.
Sponsorship and merchandising activity has also grown exponentially.
Media interest in sport has risen to new highs and the recent emergence of social media
networks means sport is now subject to a greater and swifter level of scrutiny and public
interest than ever before.
Elite sporting competition, lifestyle adjustments and other initiatives have helped to fuel
interest in grassroots participation in sports in Europe. An increasing number of people
want to be involved in sport at all levels and in different capacities. This has led to more
interest and intervention from national governments in sporting matters and the activities
of sports bodies including verification of whether sports bodies are fit for public funding.
Globalisation, increased cross border activity, the need to comply with international
federations' regulations and operating within an uncertain legal framework have all
challenged the sports movement in Europe. In particular, the need to comply with an
evolving and increasingly complex body of national and EU laws has made the development
and implementation of sports regulatory policy more challenging.

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There is now a greater interest (and expectation) across the stakeholders of sport to
participate in the future direction and policy making activities of sports governing bodies
(hereinafter: sporting bodies) and to have their views heard and appropriately reflected in
the decisions of those bodies. In this context members/participants are acting more like
consumers and becoming more demanding.
Shifting demographics and societal changes within Europe and beyond require sporting
bodies to consider whether existing inclusivity policies, diversity strategies and levels of
representation across all groups remain appropriate and reflective of their participants and
society in general. A particular issue in this regard is the access of women to leadership
positions in sports organisations within the context of the wider debate on gender in Europe
and at international level.
As public interest in sport has increased and the financial stakes have risen there has been a
growth in the propensity of participants at all levels to pursue legal claims requiring sports
bodies to adopt effective risk management practices and insurance protocols to minimise
legal and financial exposure.
The integrity of sport has been subject to significant challenge over recent years, inter alia
given the growth of sports betting. Match-fixing, corruption and other criminal activities
have arisen in different sports in various territories across Europe and beyond. Such
activities have highlighted the vulnerability of sport to match fixing and other corrupt
practices. Sporting bodies are no longer able to deal with the threat and challenges to
sporting integrity alone. The assistance of regulators, national governments and law
enforcement agencies with their additional powers and investigative authority is needed by
sports bodies to allow them to tackle the threat of match fixing and other corrupt activities,
as well as appropriately structured relationships with betting operators on areas such as bet
types.
Increasingly, sports bodies must seek to form partnerships, engage in dialogue and co-
operate with governments, European institutions and other state agencies in a range of
areas and such public authorities may be more inclined to link public funding to minimum
standards of good governance, particularly in relation to financial subsidies and the
deployment of public money by sports bodies.
The autonomy of sports bodies is now more susceptible than ever before. Interventions
from the courts, national governments or regulators, commercial interests or European
institutions are more likely. Indeed, in its 2011 Communication “Developing the European
Dimension in Sport” the European Commission developed its position beyond that of
previous comments confirming good governance is a condition for the autonomy and self-
regulation of sports organisations.
Owing to the positive values sport embodies, sporting bodies in many EU Member States and
at EU level receive significant public funding. In relation to the use of such funds the
application of good governance principles can play an important role. In short, sports bodies
that do not have in place good governance procedures and practices can expect their
autonomy and self-regulatory practices to be curtailed.
In identifying good practice in the context of good governance for sports bodies it is
important to be pragmatic, flexible and proportionate. Many different sports bodies have
considered issues of good governance in their own unique context. However, this initial set
of recommendations seeks to outline top level principles covering the whole sport
movement (as opposed to only major governing bodies or event owners), address
professional and amateur sport, embrace team sports and individual disciplines, assist large
and small sports bodies and not deter volunteers from taking part in sport.

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In general, it is possible to identify three main categories of sports organisations which can
be defined as recipients of the recommendations outlined hereafter:
1. The first category includes grassroots sport organisations. Grassroots sport covers
all sport disciplines practiced by non-professionals; individuals who spend most of
their time practising sport or who earn most of their income through sport are
therefore excluded from this category. Grassroots sport bodies have specific
characteristics that need to be taken into account when addressing the issue of good
governance, namely their reliance on volunteers (in cooperation with limited paid
staff) and their focus on participation.
2. The second category includes national sports governing bodies and national
umbrella sports organisations. These are the bodies responsible for the organisation
of sport throughout all the layers of a single discipline (from grassroots to the elite)
at national level. They are in charge of setting and enforcing rules within a given
territory and to oversee that those rules are applied consistently under their
jurisdiction. They are part of European (continental) and international federations.
3. The third category includes European and international federations. These bodies
have a special role to play in the field of sport. International federations usually set
the rules of the game and are in charge of organising major international
tournaments. European federations organise continental competitions and are
responsible for the organisation of sport within their area. This double role of
international bodies implies that the standards of good governance applicable to
them should be higher than those at lower levels of the sporting pyramid. Some
national governing bodies and some organisers of sports events should also respond
to higher governance standards, on grounds of the commercial nature of their
activities and of the diversity of stakeholders involved in the events.
A flexible approach is proposed based on a set of minimum standards that can be applied
universally but which can be supplemented as appropriate depending on risk, resource and
other relevant factors relating to the sports body concerned.
These recommendations are a first step in the process. Further input is provided by the EU-
funded projects that have come to an end and produced their results bymid-2013. Projects'
results are included in the annex to the list of principles.
The XG GG is expected to adopt the following list of principles and to transmit it to the
Council Working Party on Sport who will decide on the appropriate political follow-up.

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PRINCIPLES FOR THE GOOD GOVERNANCE OF SPORT
IN THE EU
DEFINITION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
For the purposes of its recommendations, the Expert Group 'Good Governance' adopts the
following definition of good governance in sport:
The framework and culture within which a sports body sets policy, delivers its strategic
objectives, engages with stakeholders, monitors performance, evaluates and manages risk and
reports to its constituents on its activities and progress including the delivery of effective,
sustainable and proportionate sports policy and regulation.
This definition of good governance can be satisfied by the appropriate application of the
principles set out below.
With reference to the following list of principles, it is important to underline that good
governance essentially comprises a set of standards and operational practices leading to the
effective regulation of sport. Therefore, whilst good governance must be distinguished from
specific sports regulations, the application of good governance principles should facilitate
the development and implementation of more effective sports regulation. Not all sporting
regulations are part of good governance; however, the way sport is regulated is deeply
affected by the governance of each discipline at both national and international level.
The sports movement and sports bodies are responsible for and should continue to build on
the steps already taken to promote and support good governance at all levels. Higher-level
sporting bodies (e.g. European and international federations) in particular should, where
appropriate, support their (national or regional) member organisations in establishing and
maintaining appropriate standards of good governance for the sports body concerned.
The following standards of good governance are applicable to all organisations throughout
the spectrum of sport. However, higher standards are expected from professional elite sport,
on grounds of its economic and social role. Sport is the source of large societal expectations,
ranging from the fight against racism and violence, sustainable development, fight against
discrimination and protection of children and young people. Sport organisations are better
equipped to fulfil their social role when they abide by the standards of good governance that
are included in the following list which should also contribute to tackling these wider
societal challenges when they arise in a sporting context.
ROLE OF THE EU
Whilst sport is by definition a global phenomenon and good governance principles are not
intrinsically linked to any particular territory, the European Union, for its particular role and
mission, can provide guidance for the good governance of sport at national, European and
international level.
For instance, the EU is an organisation based on values and on the rule of law which it has
the task to promote. This includes the following:

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- Decision making systems based on separation of powers between the legislative,
executive and judiciary bodies;
- Public procurement based on the principles of impartiality, transparency and equal
opportunities;
- Recognition of social dialogue and of the role of social partners in the fields of labour
law and employment.
In addition, the EU is uniquely positioned to facilitate the exchanges of good practices,
transfers of knowledge and the networking of stakeholders active at national and
international level. In this respect, the EU institutions have a role to play in ensuring that
good governance principles adopted at EU level are recognised and implemented in all the
Member States. The EU can also facilitate the promotion of principles of good governance in
sport beyond its borders with both sporting bodies and public authorities of third countries.
1. CLARITY OF PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
a) Role, function and objectives
Absolute clarity on the proper role, function, responsibilities and objectives of sports bodies
is a critical first step to good governance. It is not possible to establish the appropriate
governance arrangements for a sport body if there is no clarity of purpose.
 The precise role, function and objectives of each sports body should be clearly set
out in its foundation and constitutional documents and incorporated into the vision,
strategic plan and communication protocols adopted by the sports body concerned.
b) Goals and principles
The particular objectives of sports bodies will vary, and may be influenced by international
federation requirements as well as local, regional or national factors. Generic objectives are
likely to include expanding participation, promoting development initiatives and improving
sporting infrastructure.
 All sports bodies should, in any event, formally commit to the fight against doping
and discrimination, the maintenance of sporting integrity and the adoption of ethical
practices.
c) Vision and strategic plan
 Sports bodies should, wherever practicable, look to adopt and publish a vision and
strategic plan aligned to their long term objectives and reflecting evolving short term
priorities.
This approach aids planning and may assist in removing short term and reactive sports
governance practice. It will also promote accountability and transparency.
d) Consensual strategy
 Sports bodies should seek to develop their strategic plans and priorities (including
proposed regulatory adjustments) in a consensual way and ensure that such plans
are endorsed by the relevant decision making bodies within the organisation. Once
approved such strategic plans should be circulated to all members, stakeholders and
participants and preferably made public.

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e) Monitoring and oversight
 Sports bodies should seek to implement an appropriate level of monitoring and
oversight to verify progress of the strategic plan against measurable key
performance benchmarks to ensure value for money is being achieved from their
investments and that the plan is working effectively.
2. CODE OF ETHICS
a) Development of a code of ethics
 Sports bodies should develop a code of ethics binding on all members, stakeholder,
participants, staff and volunteers. It should embrace a range of ethical practices and
inform the conduct and culture of the organisation as a whole by instilling values of
integrity, equity and transparency and an appreciation of acceptable conduct.
b) Basic rules on the content and enforcement of the code
 The terms should be agreed across the sports body so that it reflects the views of all
levels of the organisation. The code should incorporate the general ethical values of
the sports body, but also address specific areas of risk for example by making
express provision for the disclosure and registration of gifts and/or acceptance of
hospitality and setting suitable financial limits. The Code should incorporate an
effective implementation and enforcement protocol and be subject to regular review.
3. STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION AND ROLES
a) Involvement of stakeholders
Each sports body will have different stakeholders reflecting its particular range of
participants and interested parties. Such stakeholders may include players/athletes,
managers, owners, coaches, leagues, clubs, supporters, agents, match officials. Sports bodies
should also as appropriate liaise with commercial partners and equipment manufacturers.
 Each sports body should evaluate how best to utilise the input and expertise of its
stakeholders in its activities, consultation processes and decision making
procedures. Stakeholders may be given different levels of involvement depending on
the sports body concerned.
b) Minimum standards for stakeholders' representation
 Sports bodies should establish minimum representation and democratic standards
that stakeholders should meet in order to participate in consultation and/or decision
making.
c) Commitment from stakeholders
 A commitment from relevant stakeholders should also be sought confirming that
they support the overall objectives and vision of the sports body concerned and will
make decisions and generally act in the best interests of the sport, without prejudice
to the definition of labour relations between social partners through social dialogue.

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d) Formalisation of role of stakeholders
Clarity on the role of members, stakeholders and participants in consultation processes and
decision making is critical. The formalisation of roles promotes accountability and should
assist in minimising the prospects of any party exceeding their powers, avoiding
consultation on key decisions, duplicating resources and/or generating tensions associated
with unbalanced policy or decision making.
 The respective roles, responsibilities and objectives of sports bodies and their
stakeholders should be collectively acknowledged and codified within its statutes.
In this way, a sporting body can have greater confidence in producing fair, credible,
affordable, and proportionate sports policy and regulation which is more likely to be
accepted and complied with across the sport concerned.
4. DEMOCRACYAND MINIMUM STANDARDS
a) Clear organisational framework
 Sports bodies should establish a clear organisational framework for membership
and decision making via appropriately representative, inclusive and competently
populated bodies implementing fit for purpose, democratic procedures and acting in
pursuance of the objectives, strategic plan and vision of the sports body concerned.
b) Identification of decision making organs
 The organisational framework should identify all decision making organs of the
sports body and their interrelationship. The statutes of sports bodies should clearly
set out the various responsibilities and decision making authority of the different
organs including, where applicable, congress (council or general assembly), the
executive body or board, technical or standing committees and disciplinary/judicial
bodies.
c) Identification of procedural rules
 For all decision making organs, sports bodies should clearly identify procedural
rules and the rights of members/stakeholders to participate in consultations,
debates and/or decision making processes.
d) Role and rights of members and stakeholders
 Ordinarily, the constitution of a sports body should include details of the entitlement
of relevant members, stakeholders and participants to vote at meetings, majorities
required for particular decisions, regularity of meetings, the right to receive notice of
meetings, order of business under consideration, and the opportunity to make
representations. Once established, there should be strict compliance with the
constitution and procedural rules.
e) Minimum democratic principles for appointment to decision making bodies
Within Europe there are many different types of democratic system in operation and it is not
practicable to be prescriptive over the adoption of any particular democratic process. In key
decision making areas all relevant personnel should be involved as determined by the sports
body.

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However, whilst an appropriate degree of flexibility is needed to allow sports bodies to
apply a suitable and proportionate democratic structure, based on its particular needs and
resources, whatever system of democracy is adopted or appointment practices implemented
there are some minimum good practice principles that should be respected by all sports
bodies when identifying their processes and appointing personnel to their sovereign
decision making bodies. These include the following:
1) A commitment and requirement to hold free, fair and regular elections;
2) Ensuring that broad stakeholder consultation and/or representation exists;
3) A requirement to hold regular meetings to fulfil allocated responsibilities
and functions;
4) Clarity over the role and powers of the President or Chairperson and Board
Members;
5) The enforcement of a code of conduct or by-law which includes an express
obligation for decision makers to:
i. Adopt the highest ethical practices;
ii. Act independently in the interests of the sports body as a whole;
iii. Not make decisions in which they have a business or personal
interest;
iv. To declare conflicts of interest.
6) Ensuring that the appropriate level of inclusivity, diversity and sports
representation is achieved and maintained across decision making bodies;
7) Adopting fixed terms of office to allow regular refreshing of decision making
bodies.
8) Utilising a credible and suitably transparent basis and process for voting.
9) Where appropriate making public the decisions reached
The above checks and balances and procedural safeguards may need to be re-enforced
and/or supplemented for major decisions of a sporting, financial or commercial nature. For
instance the awarding of major event hosting rights and changes to fundamental governance
structures may be regarded as so significant in terms of the wider consequences and
direction of a sport that a higher level of accountability and transparency is justified.
5. DELEGATION AND COMMITTEES
Clarity of responsibilities for the different organs that make decisions within a sports body is
critical to promoting the efficiency of policy development and effective governance.
a) Delegation of tasks to members and stakeholders
 Appropriate delegations of tasks to members and stakeholders should be
permitted subject to a proportionate level of monitoring and supervision by the
sports body and provided always that such members or stakeholders possess the
relevant expertise to fulfil the delegated responsibility and, if applicable, that they
possess a mandate for the stakeholder group they represent.
b) Appointment of technical and/or expert committees
 Sporting bodies should allow for the appointment of technical or expert
committees (whether standing or ad hoc) and/or working groups for specialist
work and advice on relevant issues. The terms of reference, reporting lines and

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status of committee decisions or recommendations should be clearly identified and
communicated to all members, stakeholders and participants.
c) Composition of committees
 Appropriate selection policies should be in place for committees or working groups
to ensure that suitable experts are appointed and there is a balance of views,
gender equality and diversity.
6. MANAGEMENT
In most sports bodies, the board constitutes the executive organ providing a supervisory
and monitoring role over the day to day activities and management of the organisation. The
board therefore represents an essential component of good governance in sport. The
successful implementation and acceptance of good governance in a sporting body is
influenced by whether and how well the board and the management embrace good
governance. The board and management should seek to promote a culture of good
governance throughout the entire organisation, for example by conducting appropriate
training and qualification measures, among other things.
Important requirements for a board to be effective are as follows:
a) Requirements for the board
1) The governing documents (including committee structures) must be fit for
purpose, available at all times to members and other stakeholders.
2) The chairperson should possess strong leadership skills.
3) Decision making powers should be clearly identified along with delegated
responsibilities and authorisations granted by the board.
4) Board members should act independently in the best interests of the sports
body as a whole and in accordance with their legal and fiduciary duties.
5) Where proportionate and justified, an appropriate number of The board
should be independent and appointed via open procedures.
6) The board must promote equality and diversity and actively work to attract a
diverse range of members, including, in particular but not limited to, an
appropriate gender balance at board level as part of an overall inclusivity
programme.
7) Board members must have the necessary attributes, skills and competence
required to carry out the role effectively with skills being regularly assessed
and performance evaluated.
8) Appropriate term limits for board members should be in place as part of
succession planning processes.
9) A board must not be too large or small and must hold an appropriate number
of meetings to reflect the needs of the sports body.

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10) The board should have an appropriate policy on conflict of interest
declarations and management.
11) There should be a clear policy and process for the removal of board members
for misconduct.
It is important that the relationship between the board and management of a sports body is
well structured including regular engagement, oversight policies and the setting of key
performance indicators for managers. This is an integral part of the overall strategic
operation of the sports body with management and staff implementing policies determined
by the board or sovereign body of the organisation. In this regard the CEO or General
Secretary has a critical role to play in promoting staff and management performance that is
in accordance with board expectations and can deliver the strategic plan of the sports body
and its longer term objectives.
7. JUDICIAL/DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
a) Need for an appropriate judicial/disciplinary framework
 Sports bodies should put in place a suitable judicial/disciplinary framework that
meets their particular needs (and any requirements of its international sporting
family). The framework should be proportionate to the size, membership and type of
cases on which it is required to adjudicate.
b) Need for a separate judicial/disciplinary code
 It is preferable for a separate judicial/disciplinary code to be developed
incorporating clear disciplinary rules, sanctions and procedures. Members,
stakeholders and all participants should agree to be bound by the code and the
sanctions imposed.
Members, stakeholders and participants should, where practicable, be educated on key rules
and obligations under the code so they are aware of what is expected of them and the
consequences of non-compliance. Interactive web-based initiatives can be used for this
purpose.
c) Impartiality of adjudicators
 Adjudicators should be impartial.
 Sports bodies should monitor legal requirements in this regard as well as any
minimum standards imposed by their international, national or regional bodies.
To mitigate risk of challenge appropriate codes of practice can be developed for judicial
personnel providing guidance on when it may not be appropriate for them to sit in
judgement.
d) Skills and expertise of adjudicators
 Adjudicators must possess the necessary skills and expertise to evaluate evidence,
assess credibility of witnesses and make reasoned decisions.

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To aid transparency it is preferable if adjudications are supported by written reasons and
where possible made public. Training in disciplinary procedures, the application of rules and
production of written reasons should where possible be undertaken by adjudicators.
e) Fair trial
 Basic procedures to ensure the right of the defence should be established in
accordance with general principles of law.
f) Appropriate appeal framework
 An appropriate appeal framework should be put in place by sports bodies.
This supports overall due process and provides a further layer of risk management as
erroneous decisions can be rectified.
Where appropriate, a sports body may also consider appointing an ombudsperson.
Where legal challenges to the decisions of governing bodies in national state courts are
likely a sports body may also consider, subject to applicable national and EU laws, adopting
a suitable binding internal arbitration mechanism. Such alternative dispute mechanisms
should deliver swift, cost effective, expert sports specific resolutions.
8. INCLUSIVITY AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
a) Inclusivity of sports bodies
 Sports bodies should be inclusive and represent the diverse nature of society and
their sports whether by reference to gender, race, sexuality, disability, age or
otherwise. By selecting from the widest possible talent pool for all positions and at
all levels the most skilled, experienced performers can be identified and engaged by
sports bodies.
b) Adoption and implementation of an inclusivity strategy
 Having appropriate regard to applicable laws, sports bodies should develop and
implement robustly an inclusivity strategy incorporating recruitment, selection and
appointment procedures. This strategy should be monitored and steps taken to
identify how any issues of under representation can be suitably addressed at all
levels of the organisation.
c) Engagement with youth groups
 The long term viability of sport and sports bodies depends on future generations of
participants being attracted to sport as competitors, match officials, volunteers and
administrators. In developing sports policy and promotional initiatives it is good
practice for sports bodies to engage and consult with representative youth groups as
a form of future proofing for the sport to minimise generational disconnects. For
example, establishing Youth Boards respecting gender balance and diversity may
assist in promoting engagement and succession planning. In this context, particular
attention should be paid to the issue of protecting the physical and moral integrity of
young sportspeople, notably against sexual harassment.

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Sports bodies must also recognise that to attract new generations of administrators,
technology and IT will play an important part. Increasingly mobile and remote video
conferencing will need to be utilised for governance ,disciplinary and sports administrative
activity and those sports bodies which embrace such technology are more likely to
encourage ongoing participation in administrative and related matters by future
generations. Technology will also be crucial in attracting and retaining volunteers.
9. STATUTES, RULES AND REGULATIONS
a) Availability of statutes, rules and regulations
 The statutes, rules and regulations of sports bodies should be available as public
documents, be clearly drafted and identify the process for amendment.
b) Consultation for amending statutes, rules and regulations
 When amendments to statutes, rules, regulations or key policies are being
contemplated an appropriate and proportionate consultation process should be put
in place with relevant members and stakeholders within a suitable timeframe.
Wherever possible the rationale for any adjustment should be available along with
supporting evidence. It should also be made clear which particular objective and part
of the strategic plan is being advanced by the proposal so that fully informed
decisions can be taken.
In addition to representing best practice it is notable that the process adopted by sports
bodies and the consultation undertaken in such scenarios is assuming increasing
importance in legal challenges to sports rules/regulations both nationally and at European
level. Accordingly, an inclusive, evidence based consultative approach to regulatory change
also represents effective risk management.
To promote transparency and accountability the web sites of a sports bodies is an ideal
place to set out statues, rules, regulations, vision, strategic plan and other policy positions as
well as information concerning proposed adjustments. The web-site can also be used as a
means for consultation with members, stakeholders and where appropriate other groups.
10. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
a) Establishment of accountability standards / Checks and balances
 Sports bodies should establish clear levels of oversight and accountability for their
various decision making bodies to ensure that powers are exercised appropriately
and consistently with the objectives and functions of the relevant body.
Proportionate checks and balances should be developed by the sports body
concerned.
b) Performance indicators
 Key performance indicators and evaluation procedures commensurate with the size
of the sports body should be set at all levels of the organisation to promote efficiency
and good management.

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c) Internal control measures
 Sports bodies should adopt proportionate, fit for purpose internal controls, reporting
requirements, data protection policies and financial management strategies to at
least the level required by applicable laws. Such policies should include clear
financial authorisation limits and formalisation of agreements in legally enforceable
form.
d) Financial information
 Financial information (produced in accordance with applicable laws and subject to
appropriate auditing standards) should be made available to members, stakeholders
and the public wherever possible. All such financial information should be clearly
presented and preferably form part of an annual report of the activities of the sports
body.
e) Distribution of funds
 If the sports body makes financial distributions to members and/or stakeholders
such distributions should be documented and made subject to appropriate terms
and conditions and on-going reporting requirements to the distributing body on the
ultimate deployment of such funds.
f) Risk management
 Sports bodies should adopt effective and proportionate risk management
arrangements designed to identify, assess, control, manage and mitigate risk across
all of their activities. This should include evaluating the optimum legal form for the
sports body and/or its members to operate under and putting in place appropriate
insurance arrangements.
g) Confidentiality
 Sports bodies should develop appropriate confidentiality protocols and codes which
are capable of rigorous enforcement. They should also have clear policies on who
may speak with the media and in what circumstances. Where possible sports bodies
should develop rapid, crisis response protocols to be deployed in specific scenarios.
h) External and internal communication
 In addition to developing transparent external communication policies, effective and
transparent internal communications for staff, members, volunteers and
stakeholders should be developed so they are aware of important developments,
events, meetings, policy changes and opportunities.
i) Professional development of staff and volunteers
 Continuing professional development for all personnel and volunteers within sports
bodies should be promoted wherever possible along with clear guidelines for staff
conduct.

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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES
As a result of the significant changes that have occurred in the sports sector, the existing
contractual and regulatory powers of sports bodies are no longer sufficient to address all
challenges related to the governance of sport. Increasingly, it will be the case that sporting
bodies, governments and pan European institutions will have to co-operate and develop
effective working relationships recognising their respective competencies.
Where required, sporting bodies and governments should look to consult and co-ordinate
activities in a positive and constructive way and seek to develop a culture of trust and good
governance based on education, identification of best practice and building complementary
relationships whilst appropriately respecting the autonomy of sport. For instance, in the
areas such as match fixing and doping, sporting bodies should continue to develop and apply
relevant rules, codes of conduct and educational programmes for its participants and take
other steps to minimise the prospect of misconduct by adopting sound financial
management principles whilst governments should ensure that relevant laws are fit for
purpose and the resources exist that enable law enforcement bodies to take appropriate
action when required.
Consistent with this culture it is important that good governance principles are embraced
voluntarily by sports bodies in the wider interest of promoting effective sporting regulation
and development. Enforcement by national governments or European institutions via
contract and/or funding conditions might have the potential to compromise the autonomy
of sports bodies and create tensions in the wider international sporting framework.
Autonomous self-regulation by the sport movement remains the best option and is
consistent with the structure of the international sport movement. All parties should have
an interest in ensuring effective governance structures are in place as this is more likely to
result in better sports policy and minimise disputes or challenges both from within a sport
or outside.
The role of the EU should consist in encouraging compliance with the agreed principles and
rules.
It is proposed that for the implementation and monitoring at EU level of the principles laid
down in this document, funding available under the Sport Chapter of the 'Erasmus +'
programme be made available to projects covering different EU countries. Organisations
taking part in those projects should carry out activities to inform and educate relevant
stakeholders about the existence and nature of the agreed principles.
In addition, monitoring and benchmarking activities could be undertaken to ensure that the
principles receive the necessary attention and are correctly implemented at all levels by
sporting organisations across the EU.
It also proposed to assess how the implementation of the principles progress over a period
of years in order to give the time to relevant parties to inform their members and adapt
structures and behaviours according to the standards included in this document. This
assessment may also consider the way in which the governance practices of sports bodies at
different levels interlink.
After this period of adaptation, if the application of good governance principles is considered
as being not satisfactory, it may be appropriate to evaluate other alternatives such as the so-
called 'comply or explain' principle or whether other measures such as applying the
conditionality of EU and/or national funding subject to respect for the agreed good
governance principles may need to be contemplated.

16
ANNEX I
List of best practices identified by the projects in the field of good governance
supported by the 2011 Preparatory Action in the field of Sport
Project name: Improving Football Governance through Supporter
Involvement and Community Ownership
Grassroots level National sporting body European or international
sporting body
 Supporters in Germany
and Sweden (where
member ownership is
enshrined) were 24%
more likely to be
members of a
democratic supporters’
group;
 Fans in Sweden and
Germany were 25%
more likely to be
satisfied or very
satisfied with the
running of football at
their club.
 Project partners SFSU
helped organise a
series of votes at the
AGMs of member
owned clubs stated
unequivocally that the
50+1 rule should be
retained.). The result:
an overwhelming vote
at the country’s Sports
Confederation in
favour of Swedish
football clubs
continuing to be
owned and controlled
by their members.
 As part of the project,
45 meetings were held
with other supporters
groups – showing how
this kind of funding
can help develop
cross-European
dialogue and
networking.
 Significant added value
generated by partners
shows that investment
in volunteers can be a
catalyst;
 Supporters’ groups
need assistance in
maintaining and
developing individual
capacity, and Europe-
wide networks.

17
Project name: European Rugby League Governance Foundation
Project
Democracy and minimum standards
Rugby league has tended to suffer from numerous National Governing Body schisms
over the years. The major reason for this has been the lack of robust articles and
therefore a sense of dissatisfaction from new members who, rightly, question any
clear representation or pluralism at work in the NGB.
The RLEF Governance Foundation Project was designed to reinforce the practice of
using our members’ articles as a living document through which they run their
organisation. A number of our members begin life as small, volunteer-driven
organisations, often officered by a socially connected group, a dynamic which often
allows initial early progress but, as the organisation grows and people external to
that original social group become participants, is stressed through an absence of
clear governing protocols.
To encourage the day-to-day use of their constitutions, all participating NGBs re-
assessed their articles and in some cases re-drafted them in line with national
legislation. A good example is the Federazione Italiana Rugby League, which wrote
10 drafts of its constitution, engaged with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) to
ensure state compliance and as a result has attracted new clubs and participants
and, as an organisation, completely transformed its appreciation for the absolute
need for good governance.
All of the sections listed in DEMOCRACY AND MINIMUM STANDARDS are relevant to
the FIRL experience.
Accountability and transparency
The RLEF, through working on the GFP, has also introduced federation-wide
practices aimed at (a) expanding the competences of its members and (b)
progressing their own internal management as they seek to become more
independent, in line with the RLEF 2010-17 strategy. One of the key developments in
this area focused on member finances.
We identified inadequate financial reporting as one major area of deficiency and in
2012 introduced the federation-wide Financial Accounts Model, an integrated
system of (i) budget, (ii) management accounts, (iii) balance sheet designed by our
finance department. This system has allowed the RLEF to assess the real financial
position of its members while at the same time educating them on the key areas of
concern, so they become more confident on fiscal matters.
The FAM was distributed to all members in a package including the template excel
form; a nine-page user guide; a sample version of FAM using an imaginary rugby
league NGB; and an accompanying, four-page, step-by-step guide to that sample
version of FAM.

18
Project name: Sport for Good Governance (S4GG)
Best practice example: Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF)
The best practice example that the Sport for Good Governance Project has included
in the educational toolkit is the one of the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF).
More than just a specific action or activity they have undertaken, it is more about the
whole process they have gone through (already for 10 years). One of the conclusions
of the project was definitely that a long-time engagement is necessary (a complete
process) to create a change in mentality where good governance is no longer an
additional burden, but part of the mind-set when governing a sports body. Important
steps that the NOC*NSF have taken during their process:
 2003: Inspiration by the private sector that started to discuss the topic of
good governance.
 2005: Adoption of the Code by the NOC*NSF (“13 recommendations for good
governance in sport”). The main idea behind these 13 recommendations is
the principle of “comply or explain”. This initiative had the aim to encourage
sport federations and to raise awareness.
 2006: First evaluation of the situation. The conclusion was that the results
were clearly not good enough.
 2008: Decision to install minimum standards (“17 minimum requirements”)
on top of the 13 recommendations. The whole system still remained based
on self-assessment.
 2011: The minimum standards become mandatory for federations to be able
to receive funding.
Nowadays: The NOC*NSF keeps engaging in the process and recognises that,
although considerable progress has already been made, a lot of work remains to be
done. The NOC*NSF also tries to actively support its member federations. They have
for instance created an NOC*NSF-affiliated foundation “Sport & Business”.
The educational toolkit “your key to good governance”
The main instrument that has been produced by the Sport for Good Governance
project is the educational toolkit, called “your key to Good Governance”.1 The idea of
this toolkit is to provide sport organisations with an instrument to on the one hand
assess their performance and on the other hand to improve the situation. When
creating this tool, the project team focused on practical elements and user-friendly
instruments. A good example of this practical approach is the master presentation
that provides an introductory presentation on good governance. This master
presentation allows sport organisations that have never dealt with the topic as such
to get a first impression, thereby raising awareness on certain key issues.
One of the key elements of the educational toolkit is the self-evaluation tool. This
tool is comprised of a number of questions on key issues that have to be answered.
The idea is that the person filling in the self-evaluation assesses the situation of the
organisation. The combination of the results will be shown in a spider web diagram,
1 An online version of the toolkit can be found here: http://www.s4gg.eu/download-documents.

19
which makes it clearly visible and comparable to the assessment of other persons
within the organisations. In this regard, the self-evaluation tool can be seen as a
common basis for further discussions within the organisation.
On the basis of the toolkit, training sessions have also been organised. The toolkit
contains a draft for an executive workshop allowing a sport organisation to organise
its own training session for the persons working within the organisation, but also for
its members and member organisations.
Other observations
As part of the activities conducted in the framework of the S4GG project, different
Codes of Good Governance have been collected and analysed. In general, it is clear
that some organisations or public bodies (responsible for the sport sector) have
adopted very good and strong codes. Examples are:
 Codes of the NOCs of France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland
 Australian Sports Commission: “Sports Governance Principles”
 Sport and Recreation Alliance (UK): “Voluntary Code of Good Governance for
the sport and recreation sector”
However, the following aspects are in many situations missing to effectively
implement these excellent codes:
 The Codes are not complemented by strategic plans for implementation. The
focus is just on the principles.
 Practical implementation examples have not been added or have only been
added in a number of cases.
In this regard, we have noticed that cooperation with external experts in the field of
good governance is in many situations crucial. This cooperation should therefore be
promoted. Two examples of this kind of expert organisations:
 Leadership Academy of the DOSB
NOC*NSF-affiliated foundation Sport & Business
N.B. IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT GIVEN THE SCALE AND SIZE OF CERTAIN SPORTS BODIES AT
NATIONAL LEVEL A HIGHER STANDARD MAY BE REQUIRED/EXPECTED MORE EQUIVALENT TO A
EUROPEAN OR INTERNATIONAL SPORTING BODY (AND VICE VERSA)BUT THAT BROADLY THIS
FRAMEWORK SHOULD BE SUITABLE TO DEAL WITH THE MAJORITY OF SPORTS BODIES.

20
ANNEX II
List of facts and data and sources of information provided by the projects in the field
of good governance supported by the 2011 Preparatory Action in the field of Sport
NB: Annex II is to eventually incorporate links to all of the final Project reports which will
embody the facts and data on which their recommendations are based.
Project name: Improving Football Governance through Supporter
Involvement and Community Ownership
Grassroots level National sporting body European or international
sporting body
 12,000 respondents to
surveys of European
football supporters;
 7% (club level) felt
‘very involved and
have a role in decision
making’;
 39% were ‘almost
completely ignored’ at
club level and 73% felt
the same way at
national level;
 10% were very
satisfied with the
running of their club
and 2% with the
running of football
nationally;
 72% were ‘very
unsatisfied’ or
‘unsatisfied’ with the
running of football
nationally;
 70% felt that increased
supporter involvement
would improve the
running of football;
 55% said that they
were interested in
joining a supporters’
organisation that
worked to get or
maintain ownership at
their club.
 As a key outcome of
the project, national
networks for
democratic supporters’
organisations
established in Italy and
Republic of Ireland;
 In Spain and Portugal,
the first ever dialogue
between multiple
supporters’ groups and
football stakeholders
took place;
 93% of surveyed
workshop attendees
said they would
become more involved
in the governance of
their club, 63.5%
nationally
 The first ever lobby of
the European
Commission and
Parliament by
supporters’ groups
was undertaken as
part of the project, in
November 2012;
 Partners involved 138
additional people
working on the project,
and delivered 120
extra days.

21
Project name: Good Governance in Grassroots Sport
Grassroots level
Best practices - TOOLS
Grassroots level/ International Sport organisation
 Guidelines for Good Governance in Grassroots Sport; http://www.isca-
web.org/files/GGGS_WEB/Files/Guidelines_for_Good_Governance_in_Grassro
ots_Sport.pdf
TOPIC: LIST OF EXISTING TOOLKITS IN EUROPE:
 Associative management guide. French Olympic Committee (Emmanuel Bayle
and Maurice Bruezk), 2005 (In French).
 Resource guide in Governance and Sport. Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and
Tourism Network, UK, 2007.
 NGB Support Kit – Chapter One – Governance. The Irish Sports Council
 Corporate Governance Checklist, The Irish Sports Council
 Good practices and transparency in associations. ESSEC (business school),
2008 (In French)
 Good governance – A code for the voluntary and community sector. Initiative
of several English organisations, 2010
 Voluntary code of good governance for the sport and recreation sector. Sport
and Recreation Alliance, 2011
TOPIC: LIST OF EXISTING TOOLKITS OUTSIDE EUROPE:
 Guide: “Nine steps to effective governance- Building high performance
organizations. Second Edition”, Sport and Recreative New Zealand, 2005
 Guide: “20 questions Directors of not-for-profit organizations should ask
about governance”, Chartered Accountants of Canada, 2006
 Booklet on “Grassroots governance: governance and the non-profit sector”,
Certified general accountants of Ontario, Canada, 2008
 Governance principles: a good practice guide, Australian Sports Commission,
2009
 Good governance tool kit, Vicsport, Australia, 2010

22
Project name: Sport for Good Governance (S4GG)
The Sport for Good Governance Project used the Basic Universal Principles of Good
Governance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the starting point.2 Out of these
seven general principles, the project team decided to focus on three:
 Structures, regulations and democratic process (principle 2)
 Highest level of competence, integrity and ethical standards (principle 3)
 Accountability, transparency and control (principle 4)
For the purpose of this annex, two activities are particularly worth mentioning. First, the
idea was to check the implementation of the three selected principles by International,
European and national sport federations (NFs) as well as National Olympic Committees
(NOCs). An online questionnaire was used to gather information. The facts and data of the
analysis of this questionnaire have been added in the first part of this annex.3
Furthermore, the S4GG Project also intends to help organisations with the implementation
of good governance principles by producing an educational toolkit and organising training
sessions. Besides interesting elements such as a master presentation and video testimonials,
the toolkit also contained three parts which can be very useful for the second part of this
annex: a self-evaluation test, a best practice example and a selection of good practice
implementation examples.4
Facts and data
National sporting body European or international sporting body
Principle 1: “Structures, regulations and democratic process”
This principle received the highest score
of the three overall principles (NOCs:
82.17% and NSFs: 77.47%).
Particular strengths:
- Attributions of the respective bodies
(NOCs: 17.67/20 and NFs: 17.08/20)
- Decision-making (NOCs: 16.50/20 and
NFs: 16.74/20)
Particular weaknesses:
- Election or renewal of office-bearers on
a regular basis (NOCs: 15/20 and NFs:
13.47/20)
- Decisions and appeals (NOCs: 12.23/20
and NFs: 12.27/20)
This principle received the highest score
of the three overall principles (IFs:
84.86%). On average, IFs score
considerably higher on all sub-indices
under this principle compared to
national sporting bodies.
- Governing bodies (IFs: 17.50/20)
- Attributions of the respective bodies
(IFs: 17.64/20)
- Decision-making (IFs: 17.78/20)
- Election or renewal of office-bearers on
a regular basis (IFs: 15/20)
2 http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Conferences_Forums_and_Events/2008_seminar_autonomy/
Basic_Universal_Principles_of_Good_Governance.pdf
3 The analysis of the questionnaire was conducted by the German Sport University Cologne. The
report of this analysis can be found here: http://www.s4gg.eu/docs/Bericht_S4GG_121026.pdf.
4 The Leadership Academy of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) was responsible for
the creation of the toolkit. An online version of the toolkit can be found here:
http://www.s4gg.eu/download-documents.

23
Principle 2: “Highest level of competence, integrity and ethical standards”
This principle received the lowest score
of the three overall principles (NOCs:
69.52% and NFs: 65.12%).
- Appointments (NOCs: 17.06/20 and
NFs: 16.10/20)
- Code of ethics and ethical issues (NOCs:
15.53/20 and NFs: 15.76/20)
- Risk management (NOCs: 4.30/20 and
NFs: 6.76/20)
- Competence of the members of the
executive body (only for NFs: 11.74/20)
This principle received the lowest score
of the three overall principles (IFs:
67.47%). On average, IFs score slightly
higher on most sub-indices under this
principle compared to national sporting
bodies. However, “code of ethics and
ethical issues” is a clear exception.
- Appointments (IFs: 16.59/20)
- Internal management, communication
and coordination (IFs: 16.06/20)
- Risk management (IFs: 9.09/20)
- Competence of the members of the
executive body (IFs: 12.55/20)
- Code of ethics and ethical issues (IFs:
13.18/20)
Principle 3: “Accountability, transparency and control”
This principle received a rather high
score, comparable to the score of the first
principle. (NOCs: 80.86% and NSFs:
75.27%).
- Accountability (NOCs: 15.20/20 and
NFs: 14.47/20)
- Financial matters (NOCs: 16.01/20 and
NFs: 14.72/20)
- Processes and mechanism (NOCs:
9.72/20 and NFs: 10.51/20)
- Transparency and communication
(NOCs: 12.80/20 and NFs: 11.50/20)
- Internal control system (NOCs:
11.67/20 and NFs: 12.05/20)
This principle received a rather high
score, comparable to the score of the
first principle. (IFs: 78.96%). To
compare the IFs with national sporting
bodies, we need to make the
differentiation between NOCs and NFs.
NFs score slightly lower on most sub-
indices compared to IFs, but the
difference is less profound than with the
other principles. NOCs on the contrary
score even higher than IFs on average.
- Accountability (IFs: 16.29/20)
- Financial matters (IFs: 15.91/20)
- Processes and mechanism (IFs:
10.98/20)
- Transparency and communication (IFs:
13.33/20)
- Internal control system (IFs: 10.23/20)

24
Project name: Action for Good Governance in International Sport
Organisations
Data collected from the 35 international Olympic sport federations
Accountability
Funding, distributed among members
n ~ %
Members receive funding
Yes 18 51%
No/ unknown 17 49%
For 18 SGBs known to distribute funding:
Objective criteria for funding?
Yes 2 11%
No 16 89%
Distributed funds available through website?
Yes 3 17%
Partly 3 17%
No 12 67%
Role of the congress in the election of president and executive body
n ~ %
Does congress elect governing council?
yes 23 66%
partly 9 26%
no 3 9%
Does congress elect president?
Yes 35 100%
Frequency of congress meetings

25
n ~ %
Frequency of congress meetings
every four years 2 6%
every two years 15 43%
Once 17 49%
Unknown 1 3%
Presence of financial and audit committees
n ~ %
Presence of financial committee
Yes 11 31
No 24 69
Presence of audit committee
Yes 12 34
No 23 66
Checks and balances
Ethics committees
n ~ %
Presence of code of ethics
Yes 17 49
No 18 51
Presence of ethics committee
Yes 12 34
No 23 66
Independent ethics committee

26
Yes 3 9
No 9 26
Ex officio investigations
Yes 1 3
No 9 26
Unclear 2 6
Participation
Stakeholder representation
n ~ %
Stakeholder representation
Yes 28 80%
No 7 20%
Decision making power for stakeholders
Representative athletes commission has a seat on the
board 4 11%
None 28 80%
Undisclosed 3 9%
Categories of represented stakeholders
Athletes 28 80%
Referees 2 6%
Coaches 4 11%
Clubs 1 3%
Judges 1 3%
Media 1 3%
Veterinarians 1 3%

27
Existing stakeholder committees
Athletes 24 69%
Coaches 4 11%
Events 2 6%
Clubs 1 3%
Referee 1 3%
Media 1 3%
Marketing and TV 1 3%
Term limits
Age and term limits within the SGBs
n %
Age limit
Yes 6 17%
No 29 83%
Average age limit: 73 years
Term limit
Yes 8 23%
No 27 77%
Figures on tenures for sport governing body presidents
Organisation Year
founded
Number of former
presidents
Average years in
office for former
presidents
Current
presidency
FIL 1957 1 37 1994-
WTF 1975 1 29 2004-

28
FIS 1924 3 25 1998-
IAAF 1912 4 22 1999-
FIVB 1947 3 22 2012-
FIBT 1923 4 22 2010-
ITU 1989 1 19 2008-
FISA 1892 5 19 1989-
FILA 1905 5 19 2002-
AIBA 1920 5 17 2006-
FIG 1881 7 16 1996-
ITTF 1926 5 15 1999-
ISSF 1907 5 15 1980-
IHF 1946 4 14 2000-
UCI 1900 8 13 2005-
FIFA 1904 7 13 1998-
UIPM 1948 4 11 1993-
ISU 1892 9 11 1994
ISAF 1907 69
11 2012-
IWF 1905 10 10 2000-
WA (FITA) 1931 8 9 2005-
IJF 1951 9 8 2007-
ICF 1924 10 8 2008-
FIH 1924 10 8 2008-
IIHF 1908 12 7 1994-
FIE 1913 14 7 2008-
FIBA 1932 11 7 2010-
FEI 1921 12 7 2006-
FINA 1913 16 6 2009-
WCF 1966 9 5 2010-
BWF 1934 17 4 2005-

29
ITF 1913 2810
2 1999-
IRB 1886 - - 2008-
IGF 1958 - - -
IBU 1993 - - 1993-
Average 8 14
Equity
Number of members on the executive bodies per region
n ~ %
Executive body members
Africa 33 8%
Asia 75 18%
Europe 191 47%
NaCaCa 58 14%
Oceania 22 5%
South America 26 6%
Number of presidents and secretary generals per region
n ~ %
Number of presidents
Africa 2 6%
Asia 4 11%
Europe 25 71%
NaCaCa 2 6%
Oceania 0 0%
South America 2 6%

30
n ~ %
Number of secretaries general
Africa 1 3%
Asia 2 6%
Europe 26 74%
NaCaCa 6 17%
Oceania 0 0%
South America 0 0%
Female presidents and secretaries general
n ~ %
Female president
Yes 3 9%
No 32 91%
Female secretary general
Yes 4 11%
No 31 89%
Female inclusion
n ~ %
Female representatives
Yes 20 57%
No 15 43%
More than one female representative
Yes 12 34%
No 23 66%

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