INCLUSIVITY OR SPECIALIZATION? LEGAL FRAMEWORKS, GOVERNANCE MODELS, AND ESG-DRIVEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARA AND ABLE-BODIED FEDERATIONS AND CLUBS
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.62140/FL792025Mots-clés :
Sports Governance; Para-Sports Regulation; Inclusivity and Specialization; ESG and Sports FundingRésumé
The governance of para-sports presents a complex legal challenge, requiring a balance between inclusivity and specialization. This article examines comparative legal frameworks, including constitutional and statutory provisions in Italy, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Australia, alongside supranational regulations such as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the European Sports Charter, to assess their impact on sports governance structures. The study analyses integrated, specialized, and hybrid governance models across different federations. Some adopt fully integrated approaches, where para-athletes and able-bodied athletes compete under a unified framework with shared resources and oversight. In contrast, rugby maintains a specialized model, with World Rugby and World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) operating independently, ensuring regulatory autonomy while coordinating for Paralympic events. The United Kingdom’s hybrid model, where professional rugby clubs collaborate with wheelchair rugby teams, fosters resource-sharing and branding opportunities while maintaining institutional independence for para-athletes. The article further explores how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments offer new funding pathways for inclusive sports. It proposes positioning sports federations as ESG projects incubators, enabling corporate sponsors to integrate para and able-bodies sports’ initiatives into corporate sustainability and compliance frameworks as well as reporting. This model enhances financial sustainability while promoting accessibility, offering a viable roadmap for equitable governance in para and able-bodied sports.
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