Kansainvälisen urheiluyhteistyön rakenne ja kehityslinjat

Authors

• Aki Hietanen
• Tapio Varis

Abstract

The great expansion of international sport during this century has been reflected in the increase of the membership of international sports federations as well as in international sports relations and in the pressure to develop them. The largest federations have well over 150 member associations and dozens of million of active individual members. The international sports relations are maintained and developed by international sports federations. There are certain trends in these federations since the Second World War. On the one hand, there is a tendency towards universal homogenization and increase of cooperation and on the other hand, there is a tendency towards regionalization. These trends will continue in the future when the developing countries are seeking ways of strengthening all kinds of cultural cooperation. Most federations and associations deny that they follow any political commitments in their activities. The governmental financial support to sports varies from country to country and from sport to sport, but in general the role of governments is increasing.