Democracy is a system of political governance in which power is held by the people (Greek: demos-people, kratos-power). Each country has its own unique democratic model, but the main features are similar: a multi-party system, active citizen participation, power-sharing, free and democratic elections where political pluralism is respected, public debate takes place and every vote is considered equal regardless of […]
Sports and politics
Governance is a social construct, linked to questions of political theory about the relationship between the state and society. It is thus explicitly a political process (Treib et al., 2007, Tang, 2015, p. 26). Sociologists of sport also affirm that sport is political and argue that claims that sport can be apolitical are themselves political statements (Tang, 2015, p. 26). […]
The theory of interested parties
For sport to reach its maximum potential, the resources available to the sector must be used efficiently, effectively and fairly (Geeraert, Jack 2022, p. 115). Unfortunately, historical conflicts, lack of trust, inequalities in financial resources, divergent priorities and stagnant governance structures make the implementation of collaborative governance difficult (Boyle, Shilbury 2018, p. 333). Sport organizations involve a variety of stakeholders […]
Conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest is a situation where an individual’s or organization’s decision-making is influenced by personal interests rather than professional duty or integrity. In a work environment, this can manifest itself when individuals prioritise relationships with family members or friends over objective criteria. In sport organizations, it is common to find situations where one person fulfils several roles, as […]
Ethics and morale
Society is surrounded by conflicts and problems, which make it necessary to seek a higher authority to determine what is right. For a long time this authority was religion, which has lost its role in Western society today (Rubenis 2005, p. 10). Karl Marx even referred to sport as “the opium of the people”, a term used by sports critics […]
Codes of ethics
Moral competence refers to the ability to act in accordance with ethical values (Lo Presti et.al., 2023, p. 3). Rational egoism permeates societal processes and threatens collective well-being. If a society has low moral competence or civic engagement, morality and ethics alone will not suffice. Institutional mechanisms need to be created to help change people’s behaviour, motivating them to act […]
“Fair play”and competition
The principle of “fair play” reflects fairness as the philosophical foundation of sport. Competition is not just a set of physical activities; to fulfil its true mission it must be based on fair and respectful rivalry (Loland 2023, p. 66). In jurisprudence, there is a category of rights known as natural rights, which every human being possesses independently of any […]
The role of the board in the strategic development of the organization
The Board’s strategic role in the organization refers to their responsibility to lead and oversee the overall strategic direction and performance of the organization. This includes setting the mission, vision and values of the organization, as well as developing and implementing strategies (Ferkins, Shilbury, McDonald, 2009, p. 249). Strategic activities include strategic thinking, decision making, planning and execution (Ferkins, Shilbury […]
Good governance
It is generally accepted that governance is about working together towards a common goal (Girginov 2022, p. 86). The Latvian Law on Sport establishes good governance as a fundamental principle of the sport sector. On the objective side, good governance exists independently of our perception and is based on evidence (Bartley & Radnitzky 1987, Minger 2015). On the subjective side, […]
Legal jurisdiction of sports disputes
In recent years, cases concerning “sports law” have also started to appear in Latvian courts of general jurisdiction. At a time when the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) position in the sports hierarchy can hardly be described as stable or uncontested, discussions about the fairness, honesty, correctness and compliance with the requirements of modern good democratic governance of the IOC’s established […]