Belgium: Flanders-sport federations and governmental sport bodies

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the relationship between governmental sport bodies and sport federations in Belgium. Because the competence with regard to sports is the responsibility of the communities, this chapter will focus on the example of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium. The relationship is studied from the theoretical perspective of principal-agent theory. This approach reveals the relationship between the main governmental body for sport in Flanders, as the principal, and the Flemish sport federations, as the agents. The relationship is heavily based on the way sport federations are steered and supported by the government, as laid down in the decree on sport federations. The Flemish government calls upon the sport federations to achieve sport policy goals in return for subsidies. Sport federations are, therefore, best seen as intermediaries between the policy makers and the sport clubs, being heavily dependent on both and challenged by keeping a fragile balance.