Sports governing body

A sports governing body is a sports organization that has a "regulatory" or "sanctioning" function. This normally means it manages a sport, controls the rules, helps clubs and runs competitions.

Sports governing bodies come in lots of forms and can have different jobs. This can include setting the rules for the sport that they govern, and giving punishments for breaking the rules. Some governing bodies manage lots of sports at an international level, such as the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, or only one sport at a national level, such as the Rugby Football League. National bodies will normally work with the international bodies for the same sport.

 Types of sports governing bodies 

 International sports federations 
International sports federations manage a sport (or a set of similar sports) at the highest level. These federations work to set common rules and run international competitions. They help run the events at the Olympic Games.

About 30 international sport federations are based in Switzerland, with about 20 in the Lausanne area, where the International Olympic Committee is based.

 National governing bodies 
National governing bodies do the same work as an international federation, but within one country. They support local clubs and pick national teams.

 Related pages 
 Regulation of sport
 List of international sports federations

 References