The Relationshp between Government and Sport

In most countries, sport is an important area for govenment and is often linked to youth. Indeed, it may be a means of encouraging young pople to becoame involved in healthy social activities; promoting health, fostering the educational progress and personal deelopment of athletes and sport players of all ages; focusing on cultural and social values;achieving prestige nationally and  internationally; highlighting the concepts of excellence and fair play;  and stimulating international exchanges.

Government is important to sport because it can: 

• finance sport and provide facilities  and service;
• train sport leaders, coaches and teaches;
• help ensure adequate training systems and services for athletes;
• help organize competitions, courses, fund raising;
• help promote spectator involvement;
• provide support, both administrative and financial, for sport medicince, science and safety;
• develop school sport programmes;
• provide access to its infrastructure and thus make available opportunties for sport development through governemnt agencies or departments, such as the Military, Health and Welfare, Tourism, Sport, Education and Youth.

The support given by the public authorities and the technical and financial resources provided for sport development can vary widel depending on the political choices, level of development and priorties in different countries. However, since governments often play a key role in the development of sport, this requires good cooperation between public authorties and sport organizations. This is why the Olympic Movement hopes for and encourages harmonious collaboration between sport organisation and public authorities.

A healthy relationship between  govenment and sport organisation include: 

•  frequent communication between officials;
• mutual respect;
• cooperation;
• clarifcation of roles and responstibilities of each in the development of sport;
• financial support form government;
• sport organisation financially and technically responsible  and accountable;
• need of both govenment and sport organisations mutually  respected and met.

*** Sport Administration Manual ***