Chappelet, Jean-Loup --- "The autonomy of sport and the EU" [2018] ELECD 542; in Anderson, Jack; Parrish, Richard; García, Borja (eds), "Research Handbook on EU Sports Law and Policy" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 157

Book Title: Research Handbook on EU Sports Law and Policy

Editor(s): Anderson, Jack; Parrish, Richard; García, Borja

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781784719494

Section: Chapter 8

Section Title: The autonomy of sport and the EU

Author(s): Chappelet, Jean-Loup

Number of pages: 16

Abstract/Description:

This chapter outlines the history of the concept of autonomy of sport (organisations) from Pierre de Coubertin, at the beginnings of the 20th century, to the most recent developments at the EU level after the Meca-Medina ruling in 2006 and at world level with the UN recognition of sport autonomy following a speech of IOC President Thomas Bach at the UN General Assembly in 2013 proposing a ‘responsible autonomy’ for sports organisations in exchange of proper governance. The chapter also proposes a working definition of sport organisation’s autonomy and questions the viability of this ideal today in a context of recurring governance scandals in major international sports organisations. As a conclusion a new legal framework for such organisations is proposed.