I have been invited to address the issue of the “Democratization and Reform of Sport Governance” and to give you the European Commission’s perspective. The mere fact that the Commission has been asked to express its position on such an issue shows how times have changed. Some years ago, before the Lisbon Treaty, this was not really a subject for the EU.

Allow me then to first answer a basic question: Why is the EU interested in good governance now? There are three main reasons.

Firstly, because we want to promote a positive image of sport. In recent years, sport has too often been associated with scandals, misbehaviour, doping, corruption, match fixing, violence and so on. We must not hide the reality, and the Commission must contribute to the fight against these threats. However, we must also underline the fact that the real nature of sport is something else: the promotion of values, a contribution to jobs and the economy, a positive force for health and well-being, etc. This is precisely what we want to promote—we want to focus our efforts on the positive values of sport.

Secondly, because scandals and problems concerning integrity (doping, match fixing, violence, corruption, etc.) can have a negative long-term effect on the credibility of sport, with major consequences for levels of public interest and, subsequently, a huge potential impact on the media, sponsors, and the financial resources available for sport in general.

Thirdly, because we have a mandate to intervene. I am not referring to the Lisbon Treaty alone. This is also reflected in the EU Work Plans for Sport, which were adopted in 2011. Moreover, we have now the financial tools to promote our policy through the Erasmus+ programme.

The Lisbon Treaty made the European Commission an actor in the field of sport, with clear policy objectives and the legitimacy needed to take the initiative.

However we must be realistic. At the EU level, sport policy is governed by the subsidiarity principle. In the field of good governance, the Commission must act within the limits of its competence: we can influence, promote and encourage cooperation, but we have no competence to rule.

In this legal context, the European Commission, and the EU more broadly, can play a role by:

• Identifying principles and standards of good governance and agreeing on them with Member States and sport organisations

• Helping sport bodies implement these principles and standards

Today, in 2017, we already have sound foundations to build on. Our work on good governance is undertaken in conjunction with experts from Member States and the world of sport. In fact, this work started some years ago, and a set of EU principles on good governance in sport was actually drawn up in 2013. We must now ensure that they are implemented.

The report published by the EU Expert Group on Good Governance (2014–2017) in July 2016 recognizes some challenges and the need to keep up the momentum and focus on implementing the existing principles.¹ There is no need to reinvent the wheel!

A starting point is to clearly identify the values and principles in, for instance, a set of Guiding Principles or a Code of Ethics. This is something the Commission will explore, too: whether there would be any added value to an EU initiative of this sort.

We must be aware that the EU is about 28 Member States, and that good governance is a worldwide issue. It is therefore important that we try to work together, especially with international organizations.

We already work closely with the Council of Europe, as well as other major international organizations which deal with sport issues including UNESCO and UNODC. We also cooperate with international sport organisations such as the IOC, FIFA and the major federations.

We believe that all initiatives, whether they stem from the public or private sector, can serve to keep up the pressure. There is no one actor with the right to act as a unique guardian of good governance. And all actors need to sign up to the same core principles of good governance: integrity, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and the rest.

By improving their governance, sport organisations will also be able to deliver much more efficiently in a number of areas of common interest to sport and society, such as equity, social inclusion and public health through physical activity.

How could we describe the role of the EU in ensuring good governance in sport bodies?

At the EU level, we would like to:

Create an atmosphere that encourages ethical behaviour

Support good governance principles politically and through financing

Accompany the sport organizations in their internal efforts – we do not want to impose our agenda if they already have their own; we are here to help

Our aim is to favour reform in close cooperation with Member States and the sport family. We encourage stronger links between organisations and actors in and outside sport, including public authorities at all levels, national and international sport organisations, sport-related organisations, and educational bodies.

Another important added value of our action is that we enhance the exchange of know-how and good practices in different areas relating to sport and physical activity. This means more opportunities for cooperation and the identifying of solutions that may not have been evident at the national level.

What does that mean in practice? We want to ensure that sport organisations set up democratic structures and processes, and that they take decisions in a transparent and accountable way. We also help ensure that the federations’ accounts are effectively audited and published.

It is not a short-term project. The implementation of good governance is an active and ongoing process which requires a systematic, step-by-step approach.

At a flagship conference held on 15 September 2016 during the European Week of Sport, Commissioner Navracsics invited European and national sport organisations (and also European National Olympic Committees) to sign a Pledge Board.2 We asked sport organizations and federations to promote or implement basic principles of good governance in sport: Integrity, Transparency, Accountability, Democracy, Inclusivity, and so on. And to commit to ensuring that good governance is being actively incorporated into their sport organization. To date, 43 organisations have signed the pledge, which is a major success.

Erasmus+ plays an important role here, too, as we can finance good governance and integrity projects in the field. In 2017, we intend to integrate an even clearer priority by earmarking about five million Euros for projects relating to good governance, anti-doping and match fixing.

We must remain aware, however, that the sport field is specific and that we must respect the autonomy of sport organisations.

Politicians or officials should not run sport organisations: sport must not be “instrumentalized”. Rather, politicians and officials must work to promote and help sport.

In its 2011 Communication on the European dimension of Sport, the Commission noted that good governance in sport is a precondition for autonomous and self-regulating sport organisations.

We respect the right of sport federations to run themselves. But the right to autonomy, in the sense of making and administering sport rules, must be earned through responsible conduct.

Good governance is now also universally viewed as a prerequisite for the autonomy of sport. Indeed, in some Member States, public funding is directly associated with good governance, with the former being a condition for the latter.

Member States, and the EU where applicable, need to provide a suitable legal framework for tackling doping, match fixing, corruption and so on.

In conclusion, I am pleased to note that the priority given to the promotion of Good Governance is shared by our EU Member States. This priority has been confirmed in the recently adopted EU Work Plan for Sport 2017–2020. An expert group should now be put in place in line with the Council Resolution adopted in May 2017. Together with Member States and sport organisations, we will continue to strive for better sport.

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LE LOSTEQUE Yves,"Democratization and reform of Sport Governance", in:K. Georgiadis(ed.), Ethics,Education and Governance in the Olympic Movement, 57thInternational Session for Young Participants (Ancient Olympia,17/6-1/7/2017),International Olympic Academy, Athens, 2018, pp.127-130.

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