Spanish Sports Organization and Management Framework

Posted on Mar 31, 2025 in Law

Sports Organization Structures in Spain

Private Sports Organizations

Private organizations involved in sports can include:

  • Associations: State-level bodies like the COE (Spanish Olympic Committee), federation clubs, and professional leagues.
  • Regional Associations: Operating at a regional level.

These organizations may operate on a non-profit basis.

Public Sports Organizations

The hierarchy of public sports organizations is typically:

  1. Superior Council of Sport (CSD)
  2. Autonomic Athletic Departments (Regional Governments)
  3. Local Government Services
  4. University Sports Services

Role of Public Entities (Under the CSD)

  • Autonomous Communities: Coordinate the promotion of sport (often delegating to local governments), are responsible for training technicians, and promote minority sports.
  • County Councils: Responsible for organizing events, liaising with other municipalities, and managing related infrastructure.
  • Local Authorities: Their mission is to bring sport and physical activities to all citizens. They manage grants for facility use, maintain a census of sporting activities (knowing the location and available infrastructure of sports centers), handle building laws, and ensure areas are available for sports practice.

Public Sports Management Models

Direct Management

Management is handled directly by a public entity:

  • Local Entity: Direct administration by the local government body.
  • Local Autonomous Bodies: Possess legal personality.
  • Public Corporation: Capital is provided by the local authority. The administration creates a legal entity subject to commercial law and business criteria.

Indirect Management

Management is entrusted to external parties:

  • Concession: The administration entrusts a third party, for a specific time, with managing a public service. Compensation is obtained through rates and prices (e.g., managing a sports hall cafeteria).
  • Interested Management: The administration assumes operational risk in proportion to its involvement.
  • Concert: The administration engages private entities whose activities are similar to the public service required.
  • Lease: A lease agreement where the lessee pays rent but does not operate the service as the primary provider.
  • Mixed Public-Private Ventures: Capital comes from several public and private entities (e.g., Sierra Nevada and Cetursa).

The Superior Council of Sport (CSD)

Role and Definition

The CSD is an autonomous administrative body attached to the relevant ministry (historically Education and Science, though ministry names change), through which the state exercises its action in the field of sport.

CSD Powers and Responsibilities

The CSD has the authority to:

  • Authorize and revoke the constitution and regulations of Spanish sports federations.
  • Agree on objectives, budgets, and organizational structures through agreements.
  • Recognize the existence of a sport modality for legal purposes.
  • Promote research in sports science.
  • Inspect sports entities and grant subsidies.
  • Promote anti-doping measures and campaigns.
  • Act in coordination with the Autonomous Communities regarding sport.
  • Authorize the hosting of official international sports competitions within Spain.
  • Coordinate with Autonomous Communities regarding the programming of sport in universities.
  • Collaborate on educational programs and curricula, and recognize centers qualified to impart them.
  • Authorize the multi-year expenditures of Spanish sports companies (e.g., ACB – Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto) within their budgets.
  • Maintain a census of sports facilities.

CSD Governing Bodies

Chairman

The Chairman heads the CSD, appoints the cabinet, and presides over key bodies.

Key CSD Bodies

  • Executive Committee
  • Sports General Assembly
  • High-Level Sport Evaluation Commission
  • Spanish Committee of University Sport
  • Council for Broadcasts and Sporting Events

Sports Committee

Composed of representatives from the state administration, autonomous communities, local entities, Spanish sports federations, and recognized sports personalities.

Operation of the Sports Committee
  • Meets once per quarter.
  • Agreements are made by a majority of attendees.
  • In case of a tie, the President’s vote is decisive.
  • It is governed by regulations pertaining to corporate bodies.

Sports General Assembly

An advisory body to the CSD President. It is composed of representatives from:

  • Autonomous Communities
  • Local Authorities
  • Spanish Sports Federations
  • Professional Leagues
  • Associations
  • Recognized sports personalities and experts

CSD Operational Commissions

Specific commissions operate within the CSD, including:

  • Mutual Sports Betting (Quinielas) Commission
  • Broadcasts and Broadcasting Commission
  • High-Level Sport Evaluation Commission
  • Board of Electoral Guarantees
  • Observatory against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sport
  • Health Protection and Anti-Doping Monitoring Commission
  • Joint Committee for the Transformation of Clubs into Sports Public Limited Companies (SAD)